Longford crash to disappointing defeat against Fermanagh

Fermanagh . . . 0-15    Longford 0-8

The compact St Joseph’s Park in scenic Ederney was the venue for the Division 3 Round 1 clash on Saturday and Longford never got going in producing a flat performance against a physically stronger Fermanagh side who enjoyed the vast majority of the possession.

While the dominant home county held a comfortable 0-11 to 0-6 lead at the break with the fit again Sean Quigley firing over five frees, it could have been a closer contest had Michael Quinn not missed a great chance of a goal with 12 minutes gone in the first half.

Capitalising on a poor kick out, Quinn shot narrowly wide and Fermanagh launched an immediate counter-attack which yielded a vital point from Ryan Lyons.

That proved to be a significant swing as Longford trailed by 0-4 to 0-2 instead of taking the lead and it was a serious struggle for the remainder of the first half as Fermanagh piled on the pressure.

While Paddy Christie’s charges were fortunate not to concede a goal in the early stages of the second half when the keeper Paddy Collum made a terrific point-blank save to prevent Sean Cassidy from finding the back of the net, they were given a glimmer of hope with a point apiece from David McGivney (free) and Keelin McGann.

McGann, who replaced the injured Joseph Hagan on the team, was the only Longford forward to register a score from play with wing back Iarla O’Sullivan shooting a couple of good points in the first half.

The gap was reduced to three points (0-11 to 0-8) when McGann was on target in the 44th minute but that was as good as it got for Longford. 

Fermanagh had to wait until the 51st minute to register their first score on the changeover through Ultan Kelm and apart from adding another three points to their tally in running out emphatic winners, they could afford the luxury of kicking a total of eight wides in the second half. 

In a bizarre twist in stoppage time, Longford substitute James McGivney had a point disallowed after the linesman brought a foul on a Fermanagh player in the middle of the park to the attention of the Sligo referee John Gilmartin. 

While the consolation score should surely have stood, the referee thought otherwise and Longford’s tale of woe was complete when he branded the offender Darren Gallagher with a black card. 

It mattered little in the overall picture and Longford must now lift themselves for the local derby against Westmeath in Round 2 of the National League at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Sunday next, throw-in 2pm. 

FERMANAGH: Sean McNally; Luke Flanagan, Che Cullen, Cian McManus (0-1); Ronan McCaffrey, Jonathan Cassidy (0-1), Shane McGullion; Ryan Jones (0-1), Darragh McGurn (0-2); Brandon Horan, Ryan Lyons (0-1), Sean Cassidy (0-1); Josh Largo Ellis, Ultan Kelm (0-1), Sean Quigley (0-7, all frees). 

Subs:- Tommy McCaffrey for S Cassidy (50 mins); Ciaran Corrigan for R Lyons (50 mins); Garrett Kavanagh for C Cullen (injured, 60 mins); Aidan Breen for D McGurn (67 mins); Fionan O’Brien for J Largo Ellis (stoppage time). 

LONGFORD: Paddy Collum (Fr Manning Gaels); Patrick Fox (Mullinalaghta), Andrew Farrell (Cashel), Barry O’Farrell (Carrickedmond); Ryan Moffett (Killoe), Gary Rogers (Mullinalaghta), Iarla O’Sullivan (Rathcline, 0-2); Darren Gallagher (Granard), Fergal Sheridan (Colmcille); Michael Quinn (Killoe), Daniel Mimnagh (Killoe), Dylan Farrell (Killashee, 0-1, free); Keelin McGann (Kenagh, 0-1), David McGivney (Mullinalaghta, 0-4, all frees), Dessie Reynolds (Sean Connolly’s). 

Subs:- Aaron Farrell (Dromard) for D Farrell (32 mins); James McGivney (Mullinalaghta) for M Quinn (45 mins); Peter Lynn (Longford Slashers) for G Rogers (45 mins); PJ Masterson (Abbeylara) for R Moffett (55 mins); Robbie Smyth (Abbeylara) for K McGann (63 mins). 

Referee: John Gilmartin (Sligo).