Another setback for Longford ladies away to Fermanagh
The Longford ladies suffered a second successive defeat at the hands of their bogey team Fermanagh on Saturday last with the home county winning by three points in the National Football League Division 3 game.
This latest setback sends Longford into a difficult situation with two away games remaining against neighbours Westmeath who caused a shock by beating Waterford and the last game against Wicklow who are putting in some good performances at the moment.
Depending on how other results go in the remaining games Longford could find themselves fighting a relegation battle before the end of the league and they seem to be lacking the will to win tight games when their backs are to the wall.
This has been evident in the games against both Waterford and Fermanagh when holding the lead entering the last ten minutes, something that will need changing if Longford are going to firstly remain in Division 3 and secondly retain their Leinster Intermediate crown later in the year apart from challenging for All-Ireland honours.
The girls battled hard in the first half to keep the home team under wraps and scores were exchanged throughout the half with the Little sisters causing havoc and also the playing of the extra defender in the Fermanagh defence leaving very little room for the Longford forwards to get room to score. This has been the plan Fermanagh are using when they play Longford and they don't seem to be able to adapt or change to counteract this, something that will need attention.
The teams went in at half-time with Longford leading 0-6 to 0-4 with Denise Murtagh scoring three frees and Edel Quinn adding one from play. The defence kept up to their task as much as could be expected and Mairead Moore, Marie Brady, Antoinette Brady, Donna Leavy, Yvonne Barden and Michelle Ross held the Fermanagh forwards to just four points.
The second half began with Fermanagh drawing level after ten minutes had elapsed but Longford were gifted a ten minute spell with an extra player with Fermanagh being reduced to 14 after they had C. Maguire sin binned for a high tackle on Yvonne Barden.
But it was Fermanagh who gained the advantage and Denise Murtagh was guilty of missing some scorable frees at this stage but no fault to her as when she is not in form there is no one able to carry the pressure of these frees. Maybe Una Flynn might have been an option at that stage to bring in.
With the game entering the last ten minutes it was Fermanagh, back to fifteen players, who pushed on to the finishing line and scored three unanswered points to clinch the win.
LONGFORD: M. Kilkenny, M. Moore, Y. Barden, A. Brady, M. Brady, M. Ross, D. Leavy, L. Brady, J. Brady, A.M. Bratten, S. McGowan, O. Noonan, A McDonnell, E. Quinn (0-2), D. Murtagh (0-4).
Sub:- S. Treacy for M. Brady.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Weather for Longford, Ireland
Sunday 05 February 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 5 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 5 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 5 mph
Wind direction: North west
