Mistakes prove costly as Offaly knock Longford out of the Leinster Championship

Offaly . . . 1-12     Longford . . . 1-11

Relegated to Division 4 of the National League, Longford were looking to the championship for some inspiration but a significant win this season unfortunately failed to materialise as the attention now turns to the start of the Tailteann Cup on May 13/14.

While it is a very poor run of results for the new manager Paddy Christie, the players deserve credit for recovering from a bad start that left them trailing by 1-1 to 0-0 with the commanding Offaly centre-half-back Peter Cunningham scoring a cracking goal in the 8th minute.  

The sides ended up on level terms at the break, 0-7 to 1-4, with the impressive Longford midfielder Darren Gallagher firing over four points (two frees) while Joseph Hagan (2) and Dylan Farrell were also on target for the home county.

Longford appeared to be facing an uphill battle against the wind in the second half as Offaly regained the lead with a point apiece from Jamie Evans and Nigel Dunne (free) before Dessie Reynolds shot over the bar in the 42nd minute. 

Moments later Reynolds provided the perfect pass into the path of the unmarked Gallagher who flicked the ball into the net from close range but Longford, who were now 1-8 to 1-6 ahead, failed to build on the boost of that crucial goal.

Offaly came storming back to clock up another six points, their last score coming from substitute Bernard Allen in the 69th minute, but there was still a glimmer of hope for Longford who closed the gap to the minimum of margins when attacking wing back Iarla O’Sullivan landed a point in the third minute of stoppage time.

Just before that final score a shot from Darragh Doherty dropped short with Andrew Farrell, now operating as the target man at full-forward, flicking the ball wide in his attempt to snatch a dramatic late, late goal but he was tightly marked by a couple of Offaly defenders.

Longford continued to surge forward in the frantic search for the equaliser but a succession of shots were blocked down and the final whistle was eventually blown in the seventh minute of stoppage time when Michael Quinn was in possession in another attack but did not get the chance to shoot. 

It has all gone wrong for Longford since the O’Byrne Cup triumph back in January but at least they are guaranteed three more championship games in the group stage of the Tailteann Cup.  

LONGFORD: Paddy Collum (Fr Manning Gaels); Patrick Fox (Mullinalaghta), Andrew Farrell (Cashel), Bryan Masterson (Abbeylara); Ryan Moffet (Killoe), Michael Quinn (Killoe, 0-1), Iarla O’Sullivan (Rathcline, 0-1); Jack Macken (Colmcille), Darren Gallagher (Granard, 1-4, 2 frees); Daniel Mimnagh (Killoe), Joseph Hagan (Dromard, 0-3), Keelin McGann (Kenagh); Dessie Reynolds (Sean Connolly’s, 0-1), Daire O’Brien (Longford Slashers), Dylan Farrell (Killashee, 0-1).

Subs:- Oran Kenny (Rathcline) for K McGann (half-time); Aaron Farrell (Dromard) for D O’Brien (half-time); Tadhg McNevin (Longford Slashers) for J Macken (47 mins); Liam Connerton (St Jude’s, Dublin) for D Mimnagh (injured, 52 mins); Darragh Doherty (Mostrim)  for O Kenny (65 mins). 

OFFALY: Ian Duffy; Ciaran Donnelly, Declan Hogan, David Dempsey; Rory Egan, Peter Cunningham (1-1), Lee Pearson (0-1); Jack McEvoy, Conor McNamee; Cian Farrell (0-3, 1 mark), Ruairi McNamee (0-1), Anton Sullivan; Dylan Hyland (0-1, free), Nigel Dunne (0-2, 1 free), Jamie Evans (0-2).

Subs:- Bernard Allen (0-1) for J Evans (47 mins); Joe Maher for N Dunne (59 mins); Bill Carroll for D Hyland (60 mins); Cian Donohoe for C Donnelly (second minute of stoppage time); Jack Bryant for R McNamee (injured, fourth minute of stoppage time).

Referee: Sean Hurson (Tyrone).