Longford struggle as first half goals set Wexford on the way to a comprehensive win

Wexford . . . 2-18    Longford . . . 1-10 

Right throughout this very disappointing league campaign, a fierce struggle developed for the Longford senior footballers during the rebuilding process and it ended in another loss against the undefeated table toppers Wexford at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Sunday last.

While Wexford have gained promotion along with the added bonus of contesting the Division 4 title decider against Limerick at Croke Park this weekend, Longford are stuck in the basement for another season (a sixth place finish and a fourth seed in the 2025 Tailteann Cup) as the manager Mike Solan now turns his attention to the Leinster Championship first round clash at home to Wicklow on Sunday April 6.
From the moment Cian Hughes scored the first goal for the visitors in the 12th minute, the midlanders were in trouble and another green flag was raised in the 24th minute when Sean Ryan got the vital touch after the home keeper Micheal Hughes parried a speculative dipping shot from Cathal Walsh.
Longford managed to stay in touch thanks to a couple of cracking two-pointers from Dylan Farrell and Keelin McGann to trail by 2-7 to 0-8 at the break but were generally under pressure against the wind in the second half as the physically stronger opposition consolidated their tight grip on the game.
Wexford dominated most of the action in adding a further 11 points to their comprehensive tally whereas Longford were restricted to 1-2. The consolation goal in the 69th minute was a well struck shot from the clean through Oran Kenny with Dessie Reynolds providing the perfect pass.
With nothing at stake in this ‘dead rubber’ watched by a very small attendance in the region of 200, Wexford availed of the opportunity to give quite a few other members of their panel a run and were still too strong for Longford. 
With the advantage of the wind, Longford had to wait until the 10th minute for their opening score from Oran Kenny with Wexford leading by 0-4 to 0-0 and in a comfortable position.
Then came the killer blow of the first Wexford goal as the excellent Pauric Hughes (who fired over five points from play) set up his brother Cian and inferior Longford were fighting a losing battle
Captain Patrick Fox (mark) and fellow defender Dessie Reynolds also got their names on the scoresheet in the first half, with corner-forward Oran Kenny landing a second point, and there was still a glimmer of hope for Longford with the two-pointers from Dylan Farrell and Keelin McGann.
Wexford had a third goal disallowed for a square ball approaching the break but it did not matter such was the superiority they enjoyed in the second half with a highlight the two-pointer free converted by their keeper Dara Brooks in the 43rd minute.
In fact they could have scored another two goals but for tremendous blocks by James Moran and Bryan Masterson and all Longford could manage on the changeover was a brace of frees converted by Oran Kenny and the same player got the goal with time running out.

LONGFORD: Micheal Hughes (Killoe); Patrick Fox (Mullinalaghta, 0-1, mark), Oisin O’Toole (Dromard), Bryan Masterson (Abbeylara); Cian Brady (Abbeylara), Ryan Moffett (Killoe), Dessie Reynolds (Sean Connolly’s, 0-1); Daire Duggan (Sean Connolly’s), James Moran (Killoe); Jayson Matthews (Mullinalaghta), Dylan Farrell (Killashee, 0-2, two-pointer), Aaron Farrell (Dromard); Keelin McGann (Kenagh, 0-2, two-pointer), Cathal McCabe (Colmcille), Oran Kenny (Rathcline. 1-4,  2 frees). 

Subs:- Jack Macken (Colmcille) for D Farrell (46 mins); Sean O’Sullivan (Sean Connolly’s) for R Moffett (56 mins); Caolan Lynch (Abbeylara) for J Matthews (59 mins); Ruairi Harkin (Colmcille) for O O’Toole (65 mins); Darragh O’Connell (Longford Slashers) for K McGann (70 mins). 

WEXFORD: Dara Brooks (0-3, frees, 1 two-pointer), Michael Furlong, Philip Dempsey, Liam O’Connor; Eoin Porter (0-1), Michael Kinsella (0-1), Glen Malone; Niall Hughes, Liam Coleman; Pauric Hughes (0-5), Cathal Walsh, Cian Hughes (1-1); Conor Carty (0-2), Graeme Cullen (0-3), Sean Ryan (1-1). 

Subs:- Sean Barden for C Walsh (injured, 27 mins); Rian Fitzpatrick (0-1) for M Kinsella (52 mins); Ben Brosnan for C Hughes (59 mins); Eoin O’Leary for P Hughes (59 mins); Tom Byrne for N Hughes (blood injury, 62 mins); Mark Kavanagh for G Cullen (70 mins). 

Referee: Pat Clarke (Cavan).