Longford’s great escape in lucky win over Waterford

Longford . . . 2-11   Waterford . . . 1-12

hile a first win materialised under the new manager Mike Solan, it was a great escape for Longford who produced a strong finish to eventually overcome bottom of the table Waterford in the National Football League Division 4 clash at wet and windy Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Sunday last.
Hit by the blow of losing Ryan Moffett to a silly black card in the 56th minute, the rattled midlanders appeared to be heading for an embarrassing defeat when a couple of points in the space of a minute from James Power put the visitors ahead by the minimum of margins.
Power landed the lead score (1-12 to 2-8) for Waterford in the 67th minute but Longford were now restored to 15 players and duly battled back to emerge victorious, much to the great relief of the home supporters among the sparse attendance in the region of 200.
Just as he had done in the draw against Limerick in the opening round, up stepped the cool Matthew Carey to fire over a two-pointer free in the 70th minute and Daniel Reynolds was then on target with another score deep into stoppage time to ensure a hard earned success.
A couple of cracking goals from Aaron Farrell midway through the first half looked to have left Longford with a commanding advantage against the strong wind but spirited Waterford showed a lot of character to close the gap.
Trailing by 2-6 to 1-6 at the break despite kicking six wides to Longford’s none, physically stronger Waterford dominated most of the second half and looked to have won before Carey came to the rescue to get the home county out of a very tight situation.
This result keeps Longford with the outside chance of figuring in the chase for promotion and another tough battle awaits in Ruislip on Sunday next when they face a London side who will be brimming with confidence in the aftermath of their excellent win away to previously unbeaten Tipperary last weekend.
Played in difficult conditions due to the bad weather on a wild day, Longford got off to a great start with three points in a row through Jack Macken, Daniel Reynolds and Jayson Matthews before Waterford were gifted an equalising goal in the 6th minute.
The ball ended up in the back of the net as a speculative shot from their chief marksman Jason Curry deceived the opposing keeper Micheal Hughes, replacing Paddy Collum in one of four changes from the team that started in the poor performance against Wicklow in Aughrim the previous week.
Oisin O’Toole, Daniel Reynolds and Jack Macken also came in while there was a senior debut for Granard’s Harry Kiernsan who was brought on in the 57th minute.
Longford gradually regained the lead when Matthew Carey shot over the bar before Aaron Farrell scored his first goal when his shot rebounded off the stanchion.
The industrious Cathal McCabe was the creator and it was the braveheart Colmcille warrior who also put Farrell in the clear for another green flag in the 16th minute.
The impressive McCabe was also in the thick of the action yet again when he set up Iarla O’Sullivan for another goal chance with the Rathcline defender blasting the ball over the bar in the 22nd minute.
Longford were now eight points ahead (2-5 to 1-0) and apparently cruising but all they could manage during the remainder of the first half was a point from Oran Kenny just before the break.
A trio of two pointers from Jason Curry (2 frees) and Conor Murray (play) in quick succession between the 26th and 29th minutes brought Waterford right back into contention and a ding-dong battle developed in the second half.
Chances were squandered by both sides with Longford adding another five points to their tally with Jason Matthews and Matthew Carey on target before Waterford hit the front for their sixth and final score in the second half.
The dangerman McCabe then had a goal attempt blocked in the 68th minute before Carey came up trumps with the two-pointer free and some more great work by McCabe created the final score of the game for Daniel Reynolds in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

 LONGFORD: Micheal Hughes (Killoe); Patrick Fox (Mullinalaghta), Oisin O’Toole (Dromard), Bryan Masterson (Abbeylara); Dessie Reynolds (Sean Connolly’s), Ryan Moffett (Killoe), Iarla O’Sullivan (Rathcline, 0-1); Matthew Carey (Clonguish, 0-4, 3 frees including a two-pointer), Daire Duggan (Sean Connolly’s); Daniel Reynolds (Sean Connolly’s, 0-2), Jack Macken (Colmcille, 0-1), Jayson Matthews (Mullinalaghta, 0-2); Aaron Farrell (Dromard, 2-0), Oran Kenny (Rathcline, 0-1), Cathal McCabe (Colmcille).

Subs:- Harry Kiernan (St Mary’s Granard) for J Macken (57 mins); Peter Lynn (Longford Slashers) for J Matthews (65 mins); Keelin McGann (Kenagh) for O Kenny (third minute of stoppage time).

WATERFORD: Aaron Beresford; Colin Foley, Darach O Cathasaigh, Liam Fennell; Donie Fitzgerald, Caoimhin Walsh, Dermot Ryan (0-1); Tholom Guiry, Rory Furlong; Conor Murray (0-4, including a two-pointer), Jason Curry (1-5, 4 frees from two-pointers), James Power (0-2); Alan Dunwoody, James Walsh, Conor O Cuirrin.

Subs:- Jamie Power for D Fitzgerald (48 mins); Dylan Guiry for J Walsh (52 mins); Adam Crawford for T Guiry (55 mins); Brian Everard for C O Cuirrin (65 mins); Ciaran Walsh for A Dunwoody (69 mins). 

Referee: Enda McFeely (Donegal).