History makers! Longford Slashers ladies in dreamland as classy performance seals historic All-Ireland club title success

There were scenes of unbridled joy and emotion at Croke Park this afternoon as Longford Slashers stormed to currentaccount.ie LGFA All-Ireland Intermediate Club Football Championship glory with an emphatic nine points victory, 4-11 to 2-8, over Mullinahone of Tipperary.

currentaccount.ie LGFA All-Ireland Intermediate Club Football Championship Final: Longford Slashers 4-11 Mullinahone (Tipperary) 2-8

It was a stunning victory from the classy Longford Slashers ladies and a memorable way to become the first club to land a coveted All-Ireland title. 

It was also great to see so many Longford Slashers fans around the presentation area and when you heard TG4 Player of the Match Grace Shannon declare “It’s not very often you hear Longford and All Ireland in the same sentence” you knew this was a very special success.

Conor Clarke’s Longford Slashers side were outstanding from start to finish as they dismantled their opponents and truth be told, if they converted more of their opportunities, they could have triumphed by a far greater margin.

Team captain Aisling Cosgrove got Slashers off to the perfect start with a 4th minute goal and they never looked back. A 24th minute Grace Shannon goal meant the Longford ladies led by 2-4 to 0-4 at half time and they were in a very commanding position. 

On the resumption, Longford Slashers were relentless as they heaped on the pressure on Mullinahone and further goals by Grace Shannon and Orla Nevin put them well out of sight and en-route to an historic and memorable All-Ireland title. 

PICTURES | A gallery of memorable images as Longford Slashers ladies savour All-Ireland club glory

As she accepted the cup, thrilled Slashers captain Aisling Cosgrove said it was a dream come true to hear the roar of the Croke Park crowd and in her fine acceptance speech she highlighted the incredible and amazing  support her side received inside and outside of Longford.

Longford Slashers enjoyed a dream start. Kara Shannon slipped a clever and perfect 4th minute pass into team captain Aisling Cosgrove who, from the edge of the square, confidently guided the ball to the net at the Hill 16 end of the ground.

Mullinahone reduced the arrears to the minimum by the tenth minute courtesy of a brace of points from centre forward Lorraine O’Shea and in between these scores Slashers full back Emily Reilly executed a brave block down to deny Denise Gaule who had a goal on her mind.

Clare Shannon surged forward and accepted a Jessica Barry pass before kicking Slashers opening point in the 13th minute, 1-1 to 0-2. Slashers were firmly in the ascendancy but weren’t converting their scoring opportunities and Aoibhe O’Shea kept Mullinahone in touch as she landed her side’s third point.

Between the 21st and 25th minutes Slashers hit a productive purple patch that yielded 1-3 without reply. Jessica Barry (free) and Orla Nevin, following a lovely passing move that also involved Cosgrove and Grace Shannon, slotted over a brace of points. The industrious and powerful Shannon was rewarded for her work with a 24th minute goal and flying defender Orla Nevin quickly followed up with her second point giving Slashers a 2-4 to 0-3 cushion. 

Mary O’Shea’s Mullinahone ended the opening half with a point from Lorraine O’Shea leaving them two goals adrift at the interval. Half-time: Longford Slashers 2-4 Mullinahone 0-4. 

The Tipperary girls opened the new half promisingly with a Lorraine O’Shea point, however, Slashers didn’t take long to make their supremacy count. Jessica Barry (free) and Kyana Lee scored points, while TG4 Player of the Match Grace Shannon dispatched her second goal and Slashers third, giving them a commanding 3-6 to 0-5 advantage.

Aoibhe O’Shea’s 40th minute point provided Mullinahone with some respite but Slashers hit back strongly with points from Kate Shannon (2) and Jessica Barry, 3-9 to 0-6 after 47 minutes. Aoibhe O’Shea scored Mullinahone’s 7th point and Kate Shannon (with her third point of the second half) and the superb Orla Nevin fired home Slashers fourth goal, 4-10 to 0-7 with 52 minutes elapsed. 

The excellent Lorraine O’Shea rattled in a fine Mullinahone goal and Kara Shannon became Slashers 8th and final player to score in the final in the 55th minute, 4-11 to 1-7. Despite being well outclassed, Mullinahone kept plugging away and they were rewarded with 1-1 late on through Lorraine O’Shea (goal) and Denise Gaule (point) but it took none of the gloss off Longford Slashers historic and mighty victory.  

Scorers:
Longford Slashers: Grace Shannon 2-0, Orla Nevin 1-2, Aisling Cosgrove 1-0, Kate Shannon 0-3, Jessica Barry 0-3 (0-2 frees), Kyana Lee 0-1, Clare Farrell 0-1, Kara Shannon 0-1

Mullinahone: Lorraine O’Shea 2-4 (0-1 free), Aoibhe O’Shea 0-3, Denise Gaule 0-1

TEAMS
LONGFORD SLASHERS: Emer Casey; Laura Kenny, Emily Reilly, Grace Kenny; Orla Nevin, Eimear O’Brien, Clare Farrell; Aoife O’Brien, Aisling Cosgrove (capt.); Lisa Nolan, Grace Shannon, Kyana Lee; Kate Shannon, Jessica Barry, Kara Shannon 

Sub: Jill Glennon for L Nolan (49 mins), Grace O’Donnell for L Kenny (52 mins)

MULLINAHONE: Alice Browning; Eimear Horan, Grainne Horan, Aoife O’Brien; Emma Cody, Molly Walsh, Jennifer Brett (capt.); Nicole Shelly, Lauren Dowling; Michaela Kenneally, Lorraine O’Shea, Aoibhe O’Shea; Chloe Gunn, Denise Gaule, Katie Egan. 

Subs: Lucy White for K Egan (48 minutes), Ailish Langton for L Dowling (52 minutes), Aimee Moloney for G Horan, Claire Egan for M Kenneally, Marion Gillman for C Gunn (all 58 minutes)

REFEREE: Gus Chapman, Sligo