Crucial Louth goals shatter Longford in Leinster U-20 setback

Louth . . . 4-16     Longford . . . 1-15  

From the moment the Louth speedster Adam Gillespie weaved his way through for a cracking goal with just five minutes gone on the clock, Longford were in trouble in the Leinster U-20 Football Championship Round 1 clash at the Darver Training Centre on Wednesday night. 

A second green flag was raised by the superior home county midway through the first half and while Longford battled back to close the gap to trail by 2-6 0-7 at the break, the concession of a third goal in the early stages of the second half from the dangerman Gillespie was a real killer blow.

While it might have been a different story but for a marvellous double save by the Louth keeper to prevent both Paddy Mollaghan and Josh Kelly from scoring a badly needed goal in the same attack in the second quarter of this entertaining high scoring affair, Longford can make no excuses for the disappointing setback. 

Disappointed Longford U-20 manager Brian Noonan speaking following the defeat against Louth in the opening round of the Leinster Championship at Darver Training Centre . . . https://t.co/8HuLPEncTZ

— Longford Leader / Longford Live (@Longford_Leader) March 27, 2025

The stand out moment in the second half was the huge two-pointer from the impressive Brian Mulvey but the physically stronger Louth side overcame the handicap of playing with 14 players after Conor MaCriosta received a second yellow card just before the break.

 A great run from Cormac Flynn almost yielded a goal for Longford when his shot hit the crossbar in the 42nd minute before the visitors eventually found the back of the Louth net with time running out.  

Michael Flynn scored a late consolation effort for Brian Noonan’s charges who are now facing a must win match at home against Wicklow in the other group stage fixture on Wednesday April 9 to keep alive their hopes of reaching the championship quarter-final.  

LOUTH: Tiernan Markey; Micheal Reid, Cormac McKeown, Padraic Tinnelly; Tadgh McDonnell (0-1), Keelan Martin, Shane Lennon (1-1); Sean Callaghan, James Maguire (0-1); Conor McGinty, Conor MacCriosta (0-2), Pearse Grimes Murphy (0-3); Adam Gillespie (2-1), Tony McDonnell (0-4, 2f); Darragh Dorian (0-3).

Subs:- Dylan Shevlin for D Dorian (51 mins); DD Reilly (1-0) for A Gillespie (54 mins); Daniel Craven for C McGinty (58 mins); Ben McKeown for T McDonnell (60 mins); Ryan Kelly for J Maguire (60 mins). 

LONGFORD: Darragh Egan (Carrickedmond); Tom Kearney (St Mary’s Granard), Ruairi O’Toole (Dromard), Colin Gilna (Abbeylara); Andrew Flynn (Clonguish, captain), Sean Egan (Carrickedmond), Harry Kiernan (St Mary’s Granard); Jack Belton (Mostrim), Jamie Dorr (Clonguish); Paddy Mollaghan (St Brigid’s Killashee, 0-1), Matthew Carey (Clonguish, 0-6, four frees including a two-pointer), Brian Mulvey (Carrickedmond, 0-4, including a two-pointer and a '45); Michael Flynn (Clonguish, 1-2, two frees), Josh Kelly (Kenagh, 0-1, free), Cormac Flynn (Clonguish). 

Subs:- Conor Flynn (Clonguish) for T Kearney (half-time); Harry Mulvihill (Grattans) for J Belton (half-time);  James Hagan (Clonguish, 0-1) for J Kelly (38 mins); Cormac McGann (Kenagh) for P Mollaghan (49 mins); Daniel Galvin (Kenagh) for S Egan (57 mins).  

Referee: Kieran Olwell (Meath).