Longford SFC: Dramatic twist as Dromard hammer Slashers but exit the championship on scores difference

Dromard . . . 2-16   Longford Slashers . . . 0-8

In a dramatic twist to the final round fixtures in Group B of the Senior Football Championship, Dromard produced a very impressive performance to hammer Longford Slashers but exit the Connolly Cup on scores difference.

With Carrickedmond staging a remarkable comeback to snatch a draw against Mullinalaghta, that result left four clubs deadlocked on five points apiece with Clonguish and Dromard also in the tangle.

Therefore in accordance with a Longford GAA 2024 Championship regulation the score from the Dromard v Slashers game did not count to determine the final placings in the ‘group of death’ as the town side were not in the equation after crashing out of the competition in bottom place as they now prepare for a relegation play-off. 

As it turned out it was Dromard’s heavy defeat by the wide margin of 14 points against Clonguish in the previous round that sealed their fate in a bitterly disappointing outcome for the joint managers Enda Macken and Gareth Johnston and all involved with the proud North Longford club.
It was the complete opposite at the Monaduff grounds in Drumlish on Saturday evening last as the highly charged Dromard team came out with all guns blazing to shoot Slashers down and were well on the road to victory at half-time, at which stage they had built up a comfortable 1-7 to 0-4 lead with eight different players on the scoresheet.
Aaron Farrell created the opening for Diarmuid Masterson to blast the ball to the back of the net in the 24th minute and a poor Slashers side never really recovered from the setback of conceding this crucial goal.
There was just no stopping rampant Dromard who added another 1-9 to their most emphatic tally on the changeover with the deadly duo of Farrell and Masterson inflicting most of the damage in their outstanding displays throughout the game.
Slashers tale of woe continued when they were reduced to 14 players midway through the second half following a black card for Peter Lynn and the sky-blues will want to forget this nightmare of a match in a hurry.
The generally prominent Eoin Palin was gifted the second goal for Dromard in the 50th minute when he was clean through after intercepting a misguided kick-out but the win was all to no avail in the amazing end to the ‘group of death’.
Despite getting off to a great start to lead by 0-3 to 0-1, it was hard to believe that this was the same Slashers side who produced such a fine display to defeat Mullinalaghta in the previous round.
Aaron Farrell opened the scoring for Dromard straight from the throw-in but Slashers replied immediately with a point from Andy Dalton and a brace of scores quickly followed from Darragh O’Connell (play and free).
That was as good as it got for Tommy Donohoe’s side who managed to register just one more point during the remainder of the first half with substitute Sean Clarke on target in the 24th minute, just after the Masterson goal.
Ronan McEntire (mark), prominent wing back Fionn Hourican, Joseph Hagan, Francis McGee, Jamsie Martin and Daniel Conboy accounted for the other Dromard points in the first half.
Although Slashers made a bright start to the second half with another point from their chief marksman Darragh O’Connell, back came Dromard with a score apiece from Hagan (free) and powerful midfielder Masterson.
Slashers were fighting a losing battle and while Darragh O’Connell converted a free, they were denied a badly needed goal when a point-blank shot from Cian O Nuallain was well saved by the opposing keeper Oisin Hourican.

Dromard were relentless in their slick attacks and further points from Ronan McEntire (mark) the never ending veteran Jamsie Martin and the unstoppable Diarmuid Masterson consolidated their firm grip on the game.
That left Dromard 1-12 to 0-6 in front and they clocked up another 1-4 during the rest of the game with the points coming from Aaron Farrell (2), Francis McGee and Joseph Hagan (free).

Darragh O’Connell (free) and Peter Lynn fired over a couple of late consolation points for Slashers who now meet Mostrim in the drop zone with Dromard taking on Kenagh in the other relegation play-off and the losers in those games will be demoted to the Intermediate Championship next year.

DROMARD: Oisin Hourican; Eoin Palin (1-0), Dylan McCormack, Ronan Corcoran; Peter Reynolds, Ronan Bleakley, Fionn Hourican (0-1); Rory O’Toole, Diarmuid Masterson (1-2); Joseph Hagan (0-3, 2f), Francis McGee (0-2), Jamsie Martin (0-2); Aaron Farrell (0-3), Ronan McEntire (0-2, 2m), Daniel Conboy (0-1).

Subs:- Conor McGauran for D Conboy (41 mins); Bernard Sheridan for J Martin (53 mins); Dylan Vance for D McCormack (56 mins); Christopher Grimes for R Corcoran (56 mins); Emmet Masterson for E Palin (58 mins). 

LONGFORD SLASHERS: Eoin McGuinness; Shane O’Connell, Ronan Sheahan snr., Paddy Duggan; Sean Morgan, Conor Clarke, Peter Lynn (0-1); Gerard Flynn, Andy Dalton (0-1); Diarmuid Boylan, Cian O Nuallain, Robbie O’Connell; Robbie Clarke, Ronan Sheahan, Darragh O’Connell (0-5, 3f).

Subs:- Ruairi Clarke for Robbie Clarke (injured, 14 mins); Sean Clarke (0-1) for P Duggan (19 mins); Cian McGuinness for D Boylan (half-time); Sean Tiernan for C O Nuallain (48 mins). 

Referee: Fergal Kelly (Ballymahon).  

The other Group B Round 5 Results

Clonguish 2-14 Abbeylara 0-12 

Carrickedmond 2-12 Mullinalaghta St Columba’s 2-12 

Qualifiers from the ‘group of death’ for the SFC quarter-finals!

1. Abbeylara
2. Clonguish
3. Mullinalaghta
4. Carrickedmond

These final group placings are subject to confirmation of referee’s reports