Longford Town at home to UCD on Friday and away to Cobh on Monday

Longford Town face a testing weekend when they play two fixtures in the space of three days, just like last weekend, and the team must be so upset at dropping four points in the away games against Athlone and Bray that they deserved to win. 

Longford play relegated UCD on Friday night at Bishopsgate (kick-off 7.45pm) and are on the road again when they play Cobh Ramblers on Easter Monday (kick-off 3pm).

The UCD side are under a new manager as Andy Myler has left a position that he did so well in for quite a few years. 

The former striker, who played for the Town, has left and he is replaced by Donegal native Willie O'Connor who has big shoes to fill.

But after a shaky start he has his new look side buzzing and the students are only two points behind second and third placed Treaty United and Finn Harps. 

UCD have a record of three wins and three defeats this season. The three games that they lost were against Treaty (1-0), Cork City (1-0) and Wexford (2-1).

The Dublin club traditionally bring in new players almost every year and there are some great young talent who go there on scholarships. The late Dr Tony O'Neill was the man who pioneered this and it was a huge success over the years. 

Manager O'Connor will need some time but he is a highly respected coach and manager and there is no doubt he will be around for the final weeks in the promotion chasing positions. 

UCD have one of the best footballers to grace the league for many years. The big news from the pre-season signings was the fact that Ronan Finn had signed for the club.

Finn has gone back to play with UCD after many years of huge success at both Shamrock Rovers most recently and previously with Dundalk where he won many league winning medals.

 Ronan has Longford connections as his father came from here and he has cousins playing senior gaelic football with Killoe, the McGoldrick brothers Denis and Ronan, who also have lots of silverware to show from county championship triumphs.

Finn is undoubtedly the big name in the UCD squad but there is also another Town connection in midfielders Adam Verdon and Sean Brennan who wore the red and black in the recent past.

Friday night's game should be a cracker and hopefully the Town may get their first victory of the season after two draws last weekend, games they should have won.

 The manager Stephen Henderson explained that his side are vulnerable at finishing games which is due to lack of match practice. We don't seem to be fully fit and there is no point in trying to gloss over the fact. Admittedly injuries are mounting up with Viktor Serdeniuk joining Aaron Walsh and Dean George who are all long time absentees. 

UCD will be a tough nut to crack as they will be full of running and they have some excellent young talent.

The Town travel to Cobh on Easter Monday and the Cork club, like ourselves, are going through a sticky patch with five points from five games played. Their record to date is one victory, two draws and two defeats. 

Hopefully the home game on Friday against UCD doesn't add to our fitness problems with a short turnaround.

 Supporters are wondering why Mohamed Boudiaf isn't getting a start but that might change in the coming weeks with all the games in such a short time.

 Thanks to the fans for their vocal support at all games and we urge supporters to come out to Bishopsgate this Friday night and hopefully shout us over the line to the first victory of the season.

SSE Airtricity League 

First Division

Longford Town  v UCD

Friday March 29

Kick-off 7.45pm 

Car Boot Sale

Easter Monday

at Bishopsgate Stadium

Gates open at 5am