Severe setback for Longford minors in disappointing defeat against Westmeath

Westmeath . . . 3-15      Longford . . . 2-9 

In failing to produce the same sort of inspired performance that saw them snatch a draw against a strongly fancied Kildare side in the opening round, the Longford U-17 footballers crashed to a disappointing defeat in the Round 2 clash against Westmeath at the Kinnegad grounds on Thursday night last.
The wide margin of 9 points separated the sides in the finish with a brilliant individual goal from exceptional full-forward Will Scahill on the stroke of half-time proving to be a killer blow and the pressure is very much on the title holders in their fierce battle to make it through to the knockout stage.
Longford currently occupy bottom spot in the Group 2 table and Joe Breslin’s charges are now facing a must win match at home against Meath at Allen Park this Thursday night (throw-in 7.30pm) in order to avoid elimination from the Leinster ‘A’ championship
With a couple of other goals conceded in the first half, Longford were trailing by 3-3 to 1-6 at the break and could never get back into contention despite enjoying plenty of possession.
A number of goal attempts were blocked along with a point-blank save from the opposing keeper John Paul that prevented Cormac Mulligan from scoring a badly needed goal early on the changeover.
Cormac did give Longford a glimmer of hope when he flicked the ball to the net in the 49th minute but Westmeath kept the scoreboard ticking over in adding another 12 points to their emphatic tally in the second half.
The visitors started well with a point apiece from Troy Tiernan and Brendan Matin-Burns (free) but they gave away a gift goal in the 5th minute when a speculative shot from Jack Duignan deceived the keeper Ray McNally as the ball ended up in the back of the net.
The dangerman Scahill scored a second goal for Westmeath following a well-worked move in the 14th minute but Longford replied moments later when attacking defender Alex Karytinos got the vital touch to raise a green flag.

A brace of scores from Tiernan (play and free), along with points from Martin-Burns (free) and Dylan Ledwith, were added to the Longford tally but things continued to go wrong in the second half as the boys in blue and gold were restricted to 1-3.

A couple of cracking scores from Martin-Burns, with prominent midfielder Max Gallagher also shooting over the bar in stoppage time, accounted for the points but there was no stopping Westmeath in a determined bid to keep their Leinster championship hopes alive as they head to Newbridge this Thursday night to take on Kildare.

WESTMEATH: John Paul; Anthony King Carroll, Eoin Donohue, Ross Tully; Conor Casey, Oisin McCauley, Sean Byrne; Cian Fleming, Rory McCaul (0-1); Finn Higgins, Dillon Burke (0-1), Jack Duignan 1-4, 1 two-pointer); Dean Kelly (0-3), Will Scahill (2-4, points from free), Sean Whittaker (0-2).

Subs used-second half: Conor Cleary for S Whittaker; Aaron Connaire for C Fleming and William Geraghty for J Duignan. 

LONGFORD: Ray McNally (Longford Slashers); Jack O’Farrell (Carrickedmond), Cathal Lynch (Clonguish), Alex Karytinos (Fr Manning Gaels, 1-0); Padraig Mulligan (Dromard), Billy Maguire (Longford Slashers, captain), Aidan Kelly (Cashel); Max Gallagher (Ardagh Moydow, 0-1), Dylan Ledwith (Abbeylara, 0-1); Diarmuid Breslin (Carrickedmond), Brendan Martin-Burns (Granard, 0-4, 2 frees), Liam Greene (Mostrim); Troy Tiernan (Grattans, 0-3, 1 free), Cormac Mulligan (Dromard, 1-0), Gavin Donohue (Killoe).

Subs used-second half: James Flynn (Clonguish) for T Tiernan (injured, half-time); Jamie Connor (Ardagh Moydow) for D Breslin; Daniel Corr (Granard) for G Donohue; Niall O’Donnell (Granard) for P Mulligan; Darragh Grimes (Dromard) for C Mulligan. 

Referee: Lee Moore.