Classy Grace Shannon shoots 2-7 as Longford overcome Carlow and now take on Louth

Longford . . . 3-9   Carlow . . . 4-3

Longford moved into pole position to reach the Ladies Football Leinster Junior Championship Final after showing a lot of spirit and character in coming from behind to overcome Carlow in the Round 2 clash at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Sunday.

Pat Tiernan’s charges looked in a lot of trouble when they trailed by six points (3-2 to 1-2) after Rachel Sawyer weaved her way through to score the third goal for the visitors in the 19th minute of the first half.

But resilient Longford refused to buckle in battling their way back into contention and inspired by outstanding attacker Grace Shannon who showed her class to clock up the tremendous total of 2-7 (4 frees), the game swung in favour of the home county.

Another key factor in this great win for Longford against the Division 4 League champions was the point-blank saves produced by goalkeeper Riane McGrath, twice in the closing stages of the first half along with another terrific block to prevent Carlow from scoring a killer fifth goal in the 54th minute.

Longford were trailing by a point (4-3 to 2-8) during that decisive period and after Carlow were reduced to 14 players following a ‘sin bin’ yellow card for their best forward Sawyer moments later, Grace Shannon scored a wonderful winning goal in the 58th minute as her dipping shot sailed over the head of the opposing keeper Nicola Hanley into the back of the net.

Shannon then converted a free to clinch a morale boosting victory for the midlanders who will make it through to the provincial title decider if they can avoid defeat in the remaining group fixture away to Louth in Darver this Friday night (May 3), throw-in 8pm.

A draw will do the job but it will come down to scores difference should a Louth win materialise and presuming Carlow cruise to their expected easy win over the weak Kilkenny outfit to bring about a three-way deadlock situation.

Led by the tenacious Orla Nevin, the resolute Longford defence performed well to restrict Carlow to seven scores - five in the first half with Cliodhna Ni She planting the ball in the corner of the net direct from the throw-in with less than a minute gone on the clock.

While the home side came storming back with a cracking goal from midfielder Sian Gallagher with the same player landing a point, Carlow then enjoyed a dominant spell that yielded 2-2. The goals were scored by Emma Coogan and Rachel Sawyer and in between Grace Shannon was denied a ‘green flag’ as her shot hit the crossbar.

That was really putting it up to Longford but they eventually got their act together in the second quarter of the contest in adding five more points to their tally - four from Shannon (2 frees) with the prominent Gallagher getting another score.

Thus Carlow had to be content with a slender 3-2 to 1-6 lead at the break and the sides were all square following two points (play and free) from Shannon in the early stages of the second half.

A goal apiece followed from Sawyer and Shannon in this action packed encounter and Longford finished the stronger in outscoring Carlow 1-1 to 0-1 during the remainder of the match to register a second win on the trot after trouncing Kilkenny in the opening round of the Leinster Junior Championship.

LONGFORD: Riane McGrath (Killoe); Leah Shannon (Carrickedmond), Eimear O’Brien (Longford Slashers), Grace Kenny (Longford Slashers); Ciara Mulligan (Carrickedmond), Orla Nevin (Longford Slashers), Caoimhe McCormack (Carrickedmond, captain); Sian Gallagher (St Brigid’s Gaels Ardagh, 1-2), Shauna Hagan (Dromard); Ella O’Reilly (Mullinalaghta), Grace Shannon (Longford Slashers, 2-7, 4 frees), Katelyn McKeon (Clonguish); Clodagh Lohan (Longford Slashers), Kamille Burke (Clonguish), Joanne Whyte (St Brigid’s Gaels Ardagh).

Subs:- Ailbhe Brady (Mostrim) for E O’Brien (injured, half-time); Fumni Talabi (Mostrim) for C Mulligan (46 mins); Elle Lynn (Mostrim) for J Whyte (53 mins); Anna Hayden (St Brigid’s Gaels Ardagh) for K McKeon (58 mins). 

CARLOW: Nicole Hanley; Aoife Carroll, Anne Roche, Sinead McCullagh; Ruth Bermingham, Katie Tunstead, Niamh Forde; Edel Hayden, Roisin Bailey; Bronagh Nolan (0-1), Rachel Sawyer (2-0), Sara Doyle (0-1); Tara Lyons, Emma Coogan (1-0), Cliodhna Ni She (1-1).

Subs:- Megan Townsend for E Hayden (injured, 9 mins); Maeve O’Neill for B Nolan (41 mins); Beibhin Nolan for T Lyons (49 mins); Sinead Hayden for E Coogan (53 mins). 

Referee: Henri Clifford (Meath).