Courageous Longford crowned Leinster minor champions as the underdogs take Dublin down for a second time

Longford . . . 0-15    Dublin . . . 1-10

(After Extra-Time) 

Displaying a remarkable resistance to battle their way back into contention after trailing by four points at the break (1-4 to 0-3), courageous Longford were crowned the Leinster minor football champions for the first time since 2010. 

Despite the sensational win over Dublin in the group stage, Enda McGahern’s gutsy side were cast in the role of the underdogs yet again but they showed a serious bite to conquer their illustrious opponents for the second time in the provincial competition.

It took nerves of steel from the outstanding captain Mark Cooney to fire over the equalising point from a pressure long range free in the third minute of stoppage time to leave the sides all square (0-10 to 1-7) at the end of normal time.

20 minutes plus of extra-time was required to determine the eventual outcome and Dublin were unable to match the fierce intensity of so resilient Longford who eventually came out on top in the fading light, much to the sheer delight of their vociferous supporters who comprised the vast majority of the estimated 1,500 attendance.

It was a truly memorable occasion at Glenisk O’Connor Park in Tullamore on Monday evening to witness this magnificent achievement and the U-17 boys from our small county can now look forward to a crack at the beaten Ulster finalists, Armagh or Derry, in the All-Ireland quarter-final at a neutral venue on Saturday June 8th. 

While commanding centre-half-back Mark Cooney was a deserving winner of the TG4 man of the match award, this was an overall tremendous team effort and some of the vital interceptions made by Conor McHugh in the full-back-line were a source of real inspiration. 

Dublin were looking good when they led by two points in extra-time (1-10 to 0-11) but Longford somehow found the energy to dominate the remainder of this amazing match with Cian O’Donnell landing a couple of terrific points when it mattered most.

Even when they were reduced to 14 players following a harsh black card for Keelan Hudson  late in the game, Longford refused to buckle and the great comeback was complete when Karl O’Hara fired the ball over the bar with time almost up.  

Cormac Flynn and Liam Greene were also on target in extra-time and it must be said that the ecstatic Longford fans played their part in really getting behind the team.

Dubin got off to a flying start with Senan Bolger flicking the ball to the net after a shot from Donach McGee was saved by the Longford keeper James Ross with five minutes gone in the game and the title favourites could have been even further in front at the break. 

McGee blasted a shot narrowly wide in the 21st minute and the reliable Ross produced a marvellous save to stop a point-blank shot from Rian Doherty in the 26th minute.

Longford were living very dangerously indeed and were restricted to just three points in the first half through the physically strong Luke Donnelly, resolute defender Alan Mimnagh and tricky corner-forward James Hagan.

But with Dublin squandering a number of scoring chances, Longford were still in with a shout of causing yet another upset in their quest for Leinster glory and further points followed from Hagan (free) and Donnelly (a very good effort from play) in the early stages of the second half.

Those vital scores gave them the belief to make it very difficult for Dublin and after Donnelly had a shot blocked the ball broke into the path of the alert Karl O’Hara who shot over the bar to close the gap to the minimum of margins, 1-4 to 0-6. 

Senan Bolger then missed a great goal chance for the Dubs in the 40th minute before a point apiece from dangerous corner-forwards Charlie Loughran and Rian Doherty (well struck free) extended the advantage.

That was really putting it up to Longford but they just refused to accept defeat and kept in touch with another score from a free converted by James Hagan in the 48th minute with Luke Donnelly also landing a third point.

 While Dublin replied with a great strike from Doherty to lead by 1-7 to 0-8, Longford quickly hit back with a real gem of a point from prominent wing back Ben Blessington who produced a tremendous block a few minutes earlier to prevent another scoring attempt from Doherty. 

Some good chances were then missed by Longford as the midlanders piled on the pressure in their frantic search for the equalising score and it eventually materialised when Mark Cooney kept his composure to kick a very difficult free over the bar deep into stoppage time.

It was heartstopping stuff, to say the least, and what happened in extra-time will live long in the memory as Longford outscored Dublin by 0-5 to 0-3 to claim the Leinster minor title for the fifth time in the proud GAA history of the county. 

Scorers - Longford: James Hagan 0-3 (0-2 frees), Luke Donnelly 0-3, Karl O’Hara 0-2, Cian O’Donnell 0-2, Alan Mimnagh 0-1, Ben Blessington 0-1, Mark Cooney 0-1 free, Cormac Flynn 0-1, Liam Greene 0-1.

Scorers - Dublin: Rían Doherty 0-6 (0-5f), Senan Bolger 1-0, Ryan Ennis 0-1, Charlie Loughran 0-1, Finn Costello 0-1, Cillian McCabe (0-1).   

LONGFORD: James Ross (Ballymore); Conor McHugh (Young Grattans), Darragh Mulligan (Carrickedmond), Alan Mimnagh (Clonguish); Conor Doherty (Killoe), Mark Cooney (Clonguish), Ben Blessington (Granard); Sean Fagan (Abbeylara), Peter Farrell (Young Grattans); Cormac Flynn (Clonguish), Cian O’Donnell (Granard), James Shannon (Longford Slashers); James Hagan (Clonguish), Joshua Marsh (Clonguish), Luke Donnelly (Colmcille). 

Subs:- Oisin Kane (Fr Manning Gaels) for C Flynn (24 mins); Karl O’Hara (Abbeylara) for C O’Donnell (37 mins); Keelan Hudson (Colmcille) for J Shannon (47 mins); Michael Glennon (Clonguish) for A Mimnagh (56 mins), Cian O’Donnell for J Marsh (56 mins).

Cormac Flynn for P Farrell (start of extra-time); Liam Greene (Mostrim) for O Kane (66 mins), Joshua Marsh for S Fagan (80 mins).

DUBLIN: Finn McDonnell; Jack O’Keeffe, Dara O‘Sullivan, Shane Devane; Josh Kennedy, Finn McGinnis, Ryan Ennis; Cian Gavin, Killian Costello; Charlie Loughran, Senan Bolger, Donach Magee; Danny McGill, Fintan Lydon, RIan Doherty.

Subs: Finn Costello for Gavin (37 mins); Cillian McCabe for F Lydon (39 mins);  Eoghan O’Donovan for S Devane (51 mins).

Cian Gavin for K Costello (67 mins); Jack McNair for R Ennis (half-time in extra-time); Hugh O’Neill for R Doherty (half-time in extra-time); Shane Devane for J Kennedy (79 mins).

Referee: Darragh Byrne (Wicklow).