Longford looking to the championship for inspiration

While a certain amount of criticism for the drop down to Division 4 obviously rests with the manager Paddy Christie and his fellow mentors, despite the bright start in delivering some silverware in the shape of the much maligned 2023 O’Byrne Cup, the players must share the blame for a very poor league campaign.

The unacceptable performances in the first three fixtures against Fermanagh, Westmeath and Cavan left Longford in a very vulnerable state and with the pressure mounting, there was no break in the fall down the pecking order. 

While things improved in the late, late comeback to snatch a draw against fellow strugglers Tipperary who also ended up relegated from Division 3, the self-destruct button was pushed in the next home game against Offaly as a vital victory was kicked away.

Much to the sheer display of their loyal supporters scattered among the small attendance, Longford were guilty of shooting a total of 16 wides (11 in the second half) and just a solitary point separated the sides in the finish as a costly price was paid for some extremely poor finishing. 

Offaly were fortunate to hold out for a narrow win (2-14 to 1-16) and while they will be coming back to Pearse Park in a fairly confident frame of mind for the Leinster Championship clash, Longford will have no fear on the evidence of what happened in the league fixture. 

While the sad and sudden death of Liam Kearns brought a big shock to all involved in Offaly football, the players will be really fired up to honour the memory of their former manager in the bid to cross the first hurdle in the championship.

Stepping up take charge of the senior squad is selector Martin Murphy who certainly has a good coaching pedigree, clearly reflected in the fact that the Gracefield (Co Offaly) native guided the neighbouring club Portarlington to a terrific three-in-a-row of Laois SFC titles (2020, 2021 & 2022).   

With a number of players graduating from the U-20 team that won the All-Ireland championship title in 2021, the future would appear to be bright for Offaly football but at this moment in time the gap in standard between them and Longford is arguably close. 

The counties last clashed in the championship back in 2016 when Offaly cruised to a comfortable 2-21 to 2-13 win at O’Connor Park in Tullamore but Longford beat the faithful county in the Leinster Round 1 meetings in 2014 (0-19 to 0-15) and 2015 (0-16 to 0-13) under the guidance of Jack Sheedy. 

It is now the turn of another former Dublin All-Star footballer Paddy Christie to plot the downfall of Offaly but the Ballymun clubman will have to plan without David McGivney.

The versatile Mullinalaghta player is out of action injured for a number of weeks after missing the spirited display in the league defeat against Down in Newry and with Robbie Smyth also gone from the squad the options lessen for the Longford management team.

James McGivney and Gary Rogers left the panel in the aftermath of the defeat against Cavan at Kingspan Breffni Park back in mid-February after becoming disillusioned with the selection process.    

A win over Offaly in the championship would be a major boost, to say the least, and a lot  will depend on how the defence deal with the threat of the experienced Offaly dangermen Anton Sullivan, Nigel Dunne and Bernard Allen. 

Longford will be looking to their own experienced group of Michael Quinn, Darren Gallagher, Andrew Farrell, Patrick Fox, Daniel Mimnagh and Dessie Reynolds to make the desired impact and a close encounter is probably in prospect.

While another home match against Meath in the quarter-final a couple of weeks later is a huge incentive, the Tailteann Cup is the main target this season and some progress in the Leinster Championship will be a big step in the right direction.