Poor Longford crash to a very disappointing defeat against Carlow

Carlow . . . 2-20    Longford . . . 0-14  

Longford's hopes of snatching a promotion spot in the National Football League Division 4 came to a crashing halt as they fell to a very disappointing 12-point defeat against Carlow at Netwatch Cullen Park on Saturday evening last. 

 With a final round dead rubber against table toppers Wexford awaiting them next Sunday in Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, Longford have a lot of work to do in the build up to the Leinster Championship first round clash at home to Wicklow on Sunday April 6. 

After scoring a couple of wins in successive rounds against Waterford and London, Longford’s performance took a nosedive - highlighted by a dismal first half display that left them 17 points adrift at the break, 2-13 to 0-2. 

While a more structured approach in the second half saw them improve on their meagre tally, three missed goal-scoring opportunities prevented any glimmer of hope from emerging with any positive result. Ultimately, the second half was played with the knowledge that the game was already beyond their reach.

Longford were slack in defence to allow Mikey Bambrick and Sean Murphy race through unopposed to tally Shane Curran’s side with two goals. There was three separate fisted efforts for white flags as well,  showcasing Carlows’s ability to cut through the Longford defence with direct runners. 

Aaron Farrell and Matthew Carey notched Longford’s only scores in the first half and it was not a case of missed chances but a failure to create them that affected the visitors. 

Longford would go on to win the second half by 5 points but Carlow could afford to rest the athletic duo of Sean Murphy and Paddy McDonnell midway through the half. 

Cathal McCabe could have cut Longford’s deficit after the restart but both his shots spiralled over the bar. Matthew Carey’s free taking was once again a positive for Longford as they improved on the scoreline with Jayson Matthews, Dessie Reynolds, Caolan Lynch and Keelin McGann also on target in a better second half performance. 

CARLOW: Johnny Furey; Paddy Regan, Mark Furey, Lee Moore; Mark Mullen, Ciaran Moran, John Murphy (0-1; Conor Crowley (0-2, 1f), Liam Brennan; Sean Murphy (1-1), Mikey Bambrick (1-4), Paddy McDonnell (0-1); Cormac Lomax (0-1), Ross Dunphy (0-5, 1f), Aaron Amond (0-3, 1 two-pointer). 

Subs:- Conor Doyle for C Lomax (43 mins); Ian Atkinson for S Murphy (49 mins);  James Whelan for L Moore (52 mins); Niall Hickey (0-2, two-pointer) for P McDonnell (55 mins); Kyle Nolan for C Crowley (58 mins); Rory Maguire for P Regan (65 mins).

LONGFORD: Micheal Hughes (Emmet Óg, Killoe); Patrick Fox (St. Columba’s, Mullinalaghta), Oisin O’Toole (Dromard), Bryan Masterson (Abbeylara); Peter Lynn (Longford Slashers), Ryan Moffett (Emmet Óg, Killoe), Shane Campbell (Mostrim); Daire Duggan (Sean Connolly’s), Dessie Reynolds ( 0-1, Sean Connolly’s); Jayson Matthews ( 0-2, 1f,  St. Columba’s Mullinalaghta), Matthew Carey (0-6, 4f, Clonguish), Caolan Lynch (0-1, Abbeylara); Aaron Farrell ( 0-1, Dromard), Cathal McCabe ( 0-2, Colmcille), Oran Kenny (Rathcline). 

Subs:- James Moran (Emmet Óg, Killoe) for S Campbell (35 mins); Keelin McGann (0-1, f, Kenagh) for C Lynch (51 mins); Jack Macken (Colmcille) for O Kenny (60 mins); Ruairi Harkin (Colmcille) for R Moffett (69 mins); Cian Brady (Abbeylara) for P Lynn (stoppage time).