Crucial goals give Wicklow the edge as Longford crash out of the U-20 ‘A’ championship

Wicklow . . . 3-14   Longford . . . 1-18

A poor record in the Leinster U-20 Football competition in recent years produced yet another very disappointing outcome for Longford who crashed out of the ‘A’ championship at Allen Park in Newtownforbes on Wednesday night.

Goals at crucial stages of the crunch group stage clash at the Clonguish GAA grounds gave Wicklow the edge and they generally showed the greater urgency to come out on top by the narrow margin of two points in this entertaining high scoring encounter.

Longford were looking good when they got off to a great start to lead by 0-5 to 0-0 and while the visitors got right back in contention with a goal from Cian Deering that same margin separated the sides when Michael Flynn fired over his fifth point in the 41st minute. 

Trailing by 1-11 to 1-6 with Cormac Flynn scoring the goal for the home county approaching the half-time break, gutsy Wicklow just refused to accept defeat and Longford were left in a stunned state after conceding 2-8 during the remainder of the match.

Utilising their influential bench, Wicklow were awarded a penalty following a goalmouth scramble in the 47th minute and while the kick taken by substitute Eanna Nolan was well saved by the opposing keeper Darragh Egan, the rebound broke kindly for the alert Nolan who finished the ball to the net.

Inspired by tigerish wing back James Boland who kicked the impressive total of four points, the Garden County were determined not to let the game slip from their grasp and a third goal from another replacement James Healy in the 57th minute proved to be a killer blow for Longford who clocked up 9 points in the second half and still managed to lose. 

Wicklow’s reward is a quarter-final meeting against Dublin while Brian Noonan’s side will have the consolation of at least one more game in the ‘B’ competition for the Andrew Corden Cup against Westmeath at Allen Park next Wednesday, throw-in 7.30pm.  

LONGFORD: Darragh Egan (Carrickedmond); Tom Kearney (St Mary’s Granard), Conor Flynn (Clonguish), Colin Gilna (Abbeylara); Andrew Flynn (Clonguish, captain), Sean Egan (Carrickedmond), Harry Kiernan (St Mary’s Granard, 0-1); Jack Belton (Mostrim), Jamie Dorr (Clonguish, 0-1); Paddy Mollaghan (St Brigid’s Killashee, 0-2), Matthew Carey (Clonguish, 0-5, frees, 1 two-pointer), Brian Mulvey (Carrickedmond); Michael Flynn (Clonguish, 0-5, 1 two-pointer), Josh Kelly (Kenagh, 0-2), Cormac Flynn (Clonguish, 1-0). 

Subs:- James Hagan (Clonguish) for B Mulvey (injured, 28 mins); Paddy Moran (Killoe Emmet Og, 0-2) for P Mollaghan (42 mins); Harry Mulvihill (Grattans) for J Kelly (50 mins).  

WICKLOW: Adam O’Leary; Joe Kindlon, Adam Kinsella, James Fleming; James Boland (0-4), Aaron O’Brien, Ciaran Lambert; Jack Hardy, Mark Kinsella; Ryan Harrison (0-1, free), Cian Deering (1-0), Patrick Small (0-3, frees); Thomas Tisdall (0-2), Alex Kavanagh, Paidi Kavanagh (0-2, frees). 

Subs:- Eanna Dolan (1-1) for R Harrison (half-time); Brian Hurley (0-1) for P Kavanagh (injured, 33 mins); James Healy (1-0) for C Lambert (44 mins); Joe Heatly for A Kavanagh (44 mins).   

Referee: Kevin Williamson (Offaly).