Ardee too strong as the new Longford champions Abbeylara fall at the first hurdle

St Mary’s Ardee  . . . 3-14   Abbeylara . . . 2-8 

The terrific boost of a gift goal direct from a Ciaran Scanlon free in first half stoppage time left the new Longford champions on level terms (2-3 to 1-6) at the break and that heaped the pressure on the red-hot favourites led by All-Star nominee Donal McKenny at centre-half-back.
Robbie Smyth grabbed the opening goal for the visitors at St Mary’s Park in the 25th minute but it all went wrong for Abbeylara on the changeover, starting with a black card for Cathal Gilligan and that was followed soon after by a straight red card for Jason Kelly.
Kelly was sent-off for an off-the-ball incident in the 37th minute after the Kildare referee Brendan Cawley consulted with the umpires and Ardee were in almost total control thereafter in cruising to a comprehensive win in the end.
Just before Gilligan was brought back on after completing his ten-minute spell in the sin bin, Abbeylara were furious with the match official who decided not to issue Ardee defender Jonathan Commins with a clear-cut black card (opting for yellow instead) for a foul on Colm P Smyth at a stage when the home side were holding a slender three point lead.
But Abbeylars (minus the injured Michael McHugh) can make no excuses in the overall analysis as the three-in-a-row Louth champions were just too strong in outscoring the underdogs by 2-8 to 0-5 in the second half.
It was a great year for the small club from north Longford in winning the Connolly Cup for the first time in 18 years.
Their mastermind manager Frankie Dolan deserves great credit for this magnificent breakthrough as he prepares to join the Wicklow senior football management team under the guidance of Oisin McConville but he is expected to stay with Abbeylara.
The new kings of Longford football sorely missed the driving force of Michael McHugh in the heart of the defence but they got off to a great start against Ardee with a point from Jason Kelly almost direct from the throw-in.
The early advantage was extended with a free converted by Ciaran Scanlon before the rattled home side eventually opened their account with a point from Shane Matthews in the 11th minute.
Robbie Smyth then surged forward to fist the ball over the bar but Ardee gradually got on top to register 1-3 in quick succession, the goal coming from Liam Jackson in the 20th minute while Donal McKenny landed a tremendous point.
Soon after Tom Jackson should have finished the ball to the net when he shot wide from point-blank range in a very lucky escape for Abbeylara.
Now trailing by 1-4 to 0-3, Abbey were thrown a lifeline with a disputed goal from Robbie Smyth but back came St Mary’s with a point apiece from Kian Moran and Carl Gillespie (free).
While the home side conceded a very soft second goal in failing to deal with a dipping free taken by Ciaran Scanlon that ended up in the net, the course of the game changed completely in the second half as Abbeylara were badly hit by the numerical disadvantage.
Ardee regained the lead from another free converted by Gillespie and after the Jason Kelly dismissal there was really no hope for Abbeylara in their bid to spring a major surprise.
Further points followed from Liam Jackson and prominent wing forward Moran before Robbie Smyth fired over a free at the end of the third quarter.
Ardee had to be content with a narrow 1-9 to 2-4 lead at this stage but they then stepped up another gear to put the issue beyond all doubt.
A point apiece followed from corner back Tadhg McDonnell and the prolific Kian Moran and after Tom Jackson squandered a glorious chance of a goal, the same slick attacker made amends almost immediately when he planted the ball in the back of the Abbeylara net in the 49th minute.
Things went from bad to worse when Ardee defender Karl Faulkner joined the attack to score a third goal for Ardee in the 55th minute, along with a couple of points from former county star Ronan Carroll, but Abbeylara battled it out to the bitter end in tacking on another four scores through Reece Reilly, Robbie Smyth (free and play) and Conor Berry.

ST MARY’S ARDEE: Tiernan Markey; Tadhg McDonnell (0-1), Karl Faulkner (1-0), Eimhin Keenan; Jonathan Commins, Donal McKenny (0-1), Carl Gillespie (0-3, all frees); R.J. Callaghan, Paraic McKenny; Ciaran Keenan, Liam Jackson (1-1), Kian Moran (0-4); Shane Matthews (0-1), Ryan Rooney, Tom Jackson (1-1). 

Subs:- Ronan Carroll (0-2) for R Rooney (39 mins); Sean Callaghan for S Matthews (45 mins); Conor Gillespie for J Commins (50 mins); Tiernan Corrigan for E Keenan (53 mins); Evan Malone for K Moran (55 mins).    

 ABBEYLARA: Gavin Kelly; Colin Gilna, PJ Masterson, Shane Mahon; Cian Brady, Bryan Masterson, Russell Brady; Fergal Battrim, Ciaran Scanlon (1-1, 2 frees); Colm P Smyth,  Jason Kelly (0-1), Caolan Lynch; Robbie Smyth (1-4, 2 frees), Cathal Gilligan, Padraig Berry. 

Subs:- Reece Reilly (0-1) for C Gilna (41 mins); Nigel Rabbitt for P Berry (48 mins); Conor Berry (0-1) for C Gilligan (52 mins); Frank Sheehy for G Kelly (injured, 53 mins); Mel Brady for S Mahon (59 mins).

Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare).