All-Ireland champions: Fantastic Longford minors win the Tier 3 title

Longford . . . 2-13   Wicklow . . . 1-8

Longford were crowned the All-Ireland Minor Tier 3 champions following a fantastic win over Wicklow in the final at Glenisk O’Connor Park in Tullamore on Saturday last.
Making the most of another chance to win some silverware (the Seamus Heaney Cup) and who really embraced the ‘C’ competition under the driving force of their inspirational manager Joe Breslin and the other mentors, the mighty midlanders came out on top by the comfortable margin of 8 points in the end.
Thanks to a superb goal from the dangerman Troy Tiernan in the 20th minute and a cracking two-pointer from the commanding captain and centre-half-back Billy Maguire, Longford were ahead by the minimum of margins (1-5 to 0-7) at the break.
With wind advantage in the second half, the slender lead was extended when Diarmuid Breslin shot over the bar with three minutes gone on the changeover but Wicklow hit back moments later with a goal from Oisin Dignam to leave his side 1-7 to 1-6 in front.
But that was as good as it got for the Garden County as determined Longford showed great character to dominate the remainder of the title decider.
A point apiece from Troy Tiernan (free) and the richly deserved man of the match award winner, outstanding wing back Liam Greene, regained the lead for Longford who struck the killer blow with a smashing goal from Cormac Mulligan in the 50th minute.
A couple of terrific two-pointers followed from Diarmuid Breslin and Tiernan and it was substitute Diarmuid O’Brien (son of the late Tom) who landed the last Longford score in the final minute of normal time in this great success for the county.
The triumph was achieved without the injured attacker Brendan Martin, another of the rising young stars who had shone so brightly in the group stage of the Leinster ‘A’ Minor Championship, and sheer perseverance was rewarded in the happy hunting ground for Longford football in Tullamore.
Wins over Fermanagh, Carlow, Sligo and Wicklow was the path to worthy All-Ireland U-17 Tier 3 glory and Longford made a great start in the final with a well struck point from Cormac Mulligan direct from the throw-in at windy O’Connor Park.
Another point quickly followed from Mulligan and while Wicklow enjoyed plenty of possession with the aid of the breeze in the first half they were guilty of squandering a number of scoring chances.
Longford were also prone to some poor finishing during the course of the game but still ended up in a slender single point lead at half-time with the other scores coming from Troy Tiernan and the Billy Maguire two-pointer.
Liam Greene created the opportunity for Tiernan to blast the ball to the corner of the net in a superb finish and there was just no stopping the wind assisted Longford in the second half.
A total of 1-8 was added to the emphatic tally with a turnover resulting in Daniel Corr putting Mulligan through for the decisive goal.
Wicklow were given some hope with the lead goal (1-7 to 1-6) from Dignam after he flicked a pass from Harry Butler into the net from close range in the 34th minute but their joy did not last as they failed to register another score until the 58th minute when substitute James McCarney landed a consolation point.

The introduction of a number of subs in the second half freshened up the well drilled Longford team (coached by Ger Carberry) who just would not hear of defeat in their quest to capture the All-Ireland Minor ‘C’ title.

LONGFORD: Ray McNally (Longford Slashers); Jack O’Farrell (Carrickedmond), Cathal Lynch (Clonguish), Alex Karyntinos (Fr Manning Gaels); Dylan Ledwith (Abbeylara), Billy Maguire (Longford Slashers, captain, 0-2, two-pointer), Liam Greene (Mostrim, 0-1); Max Gallagher (Ardagh Moydow), Aidan Kelly (Cashel); Aidan Mollaghan (St Brigid’s Killashee), Cormac Mulligan (Dromard, 1-2), Diarmuid Breslin (Carrickedmond, 0-3, 1 two-pointer); Troy Tiernan (Grattans, 1-4, 2 frees, 1 two-pointer), Daniel Corr (Granard) Gavin Donohoe (Killoe). 

 Subs:- Jack Conlon (Sean Connolly’s) for A Karyntinos (half-time); Robert Rowan (Kenagh) for A Mollaghan (37 mins); Diarmuid O’Brien (Longford Slashers, 0-1) for G Donohoe (49 mins); James Flynn (Clonguish) for D Corr (53 mins); Aaron Walsh (Granard) for R McNally (stoppage time).   

WICKLOW: Ryan Sargent; Ethan Hutton, Simon O’Brien, Enda Leacy; Chris Kehoe, Conor Coffey (0-1), Chris O’Toole; Jack O’Leary (0-1), Sean Corrigan (0-1); Harry Butler, Aaron Kenna (0-1), Odhran Cullen (0-1); Lucas Reid, Pat Kehoe (0-2), Oisin Dignam (1-0).

Subs:- Conor Fitzgerald for L Reid (46 mins); James McCarney (0-1) for A Kenna (50 mins); Sam Behan for E Hutton (53 mins); Joe Kelly for C Kehoe (stoppage time).  

Referee: Andrew Smith (Meath).