Slick Longford cruise to a very easy win over Wicklow

Longford . . . 3-17   Wicklow . . . 2-9

While the supporters showed little interest in the Round 2 clash, clearly reflected in the very disappointing small attendance at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Saturday evening, the victory was all that mattered on the path to the preliminary quarter-finals in the second tier senior championship. 

Bouncing back from the narrow defeat away to Limerick the previous week, a more direct attacking approach saw the slick Longford side utilise their greater pace to tear apart the slack Wicklow defence in the first half and particularly prominent was the rocket attacker Keelin McGann. 

Thanks to goals from Joseph Hagan (10th minute) and Dylan Farrell (16th minute), clinical Longford had built up a commanding 2-11 to 1-3 lead at the break and there was no way back for Oisin McConville’s flat side who showed little of the progress they had made in gaining promotion from Division 4 of the National League this season. 

The game in general lacked any sort of real intensity and Longford will clinch second spot in Group 3 and home advantage in the knockout stage of the competition should they score their expected win over Carlow at a neutral venue (probably Tullamore) in a couple of weeks time.  

While it was a good result for the manager Paddy Christie, nobody is getting carried away and a place in the last eight is at least the target for Longford and perhaps a semi-final appearance at Croke Park. 

The midlanders kept the scoreboard ticking over in the second half in adding another 1-6 to their impressive tally with Joseph Hagan scoring the third goal in the 52nd minute. 

Shattered by the surprise defeat against Carlow in the opening round, Wicklow snatched a last gasp consolation goal when Eoin Darcy converted a penalty in the fourth minute of stoppage time. 

LONGFORD: Paddy Collum (Fr Manning Gaels); Patrick Fox (Mullinalaghta), Andrew Farrell (Cashel), Bryan Masterson (Abbeylara); Iarla O’Sullivan (Rathcline, 0-1), Michael Quinn (Killoe), Peter Lynn (Longford Slashers, 0-1); Ryan Moffet (Killoe), Darren Gallagher (Granard); Joseph Hagan (Dromard, 2-0), Dessie Reynolds (Sean Connolly’s, 0-1), Aaron Farrell (Dromard, 0-1); Keelin McGann (Kenagh, 0-2), Dylan Farrell (Killashee, 1-2, 1 free), Oran Kenny (Rathcline, 0-8, 5 frees). 

Subs:- Jack Macken (Colmcille, 0-1) for D Gallagher (59 mins); Barry O’Farrell (Carrickedmond) for M Quinn (59 mins); Tadhg McNevin (Longford Slashers) for Aaron Farrell (64 mins); Ruairi Harkin (Colmcille) for P Lynn (64 mins); Matt Duffy (Dromard) for D Farrell (66 mins). 

WICKLOW: Mark Jackson (0-1, ‘45); Eoin Murtagh (1-0), Paul McLoughlin, Malachy Stone; Jaques McCall, Patrick O’Keane, Mark Kenny; Dean Healy (0-1), Padraig O’Toole; Conor Fee (0-2), John Paul Hurley, Jack Kirwan; Joe Prendergast, Cian O’Sullivan, Eoin Darcy (1-4, 0-3 frees, 1-0 penalty). 

Subs:- Matt Nolan for J McCall (32 mins); John Paul Nolan (0-1) for J Prendergast (half-time); John Keogh for C O’Sullivan (51 mins); Tom Maher for JP Hurley (64 mins); Liam O’Neill for P McLoughlin (66 mins).

Referee: Barry Tiernan (Dublin).