Unbeaten Longford senior hurlers on course for Division 3

The Longford senior hurlers made it four wins from four fixtures with a comprehensive fifteen-point victory over Lancashire at Abbotstown on Saturday as Diarmuid Cahill’s charges cruised to victory to all but ensure promotion to Division 3  and a place in the Division 4 Final against Sligo.

Longford . . . 3-18  Lancashire . . . 0-12 

A point away to bottom-of-the-table Warwickshire in Birmingham next Saturday will officially seal promotion but even if Longford were to lose their last two games of the league campaign, it would require an almost improbable set of results elsewhere for the midlanders to be denied promotion to Division 3 .

The strength of this year’s panel is a testament to the commitment, resilience, and quality of talent that goes much deeper than the starting fifteen. There were eight or nine players missing from the starting team that could be considered a starting fifteen player if fully fit and available, but those that came into the team all stepped up to the plate in impressive fashion.

Longford had registered 1-2 before Lancashire responded with their first two scores of the match. Reuben Murray slotted over two frees while Killian Courtney fired in the goal from close range on the rebound after Darragh Caslin’s shot had been saved by Lancashire keeper Ryan McCarthy.

 Shane Nugent and Padraic Burke then fired over successive points for the exiles to reduce the gap to three points with thirteen minutes gone on the clock.

Longford scored four of the next five points courtesy of Joe Rabbitt, a brace from Reuben Murray, and a fine score from Cathal Mullane, while Tiarnan McKavanagh replied for Lancashire to leave Longford ahead by 1-06 to 0-3 after twenty minutes.

Longford keeper Johnny Maher produced an excellent save from Billy Donnellan’s rasping twenty-metre shot in the 22nd minute while Nugent pointed a free for the exiles shortly after.

Longford finished the first half strongly with four of the last five points of the half to lead by 1-10 to 0-5 at the break. Ronan Courtney, Murray twice with two frees, and Mullane all added to the scoreboard with McKavanagh responding with his second point of the game for Lancashire.

Longford had the game effectively wrapped up by the 50th minute mark with a thirteen-point advantage, 2-15 to 0-9. Mullane scored a goal and a point within four minutes of the resumption with his goal being a delightful team goal.

Harry Mulvihill dispossessed a Lancashire player and Joe Rabbitt then gained possession and he launched a great ball into Sean Tiernan, Tiernan passed to Ronan Courtney and Courtney’s mazy run resulted in a perfect pass to Mullane who fired home to raise Longford’s second green flag of the match.

  Rabbitt, Niall Hawes, Murray (free), Hawes again, and Sean Tiernan also rattled over points for Longford while Andrew Shanahan, Ryan Duffy, Darren McNamara and Ethan Costello replied for Lancashire.

Longford hit the Lancashire net for a third time in the 54th minute when Sean Tiernan latched onto a Hawes pass and drilled the sliotar to the Lancashire net.

Hawes and Rabbitt concluded the Longford scoring while Donnellan, Costello, and Burke scored Lancashire’s last three points.

LONGFORD: Johnny Maher; Kealan Cox, Sean Lancaster, Ciarán McNally; Diarmaid Caslin, James Connell, Adam Quinn; Harry Mulvihill, Reuben Murray (0-7, 5 frees); Niall Hawes (0-3), Joe Rabbitt (0-3), Darragh Caslin; Killian Courtney (1-0), Cathal Mullane (1-3, 1 free), Ronan Courtney (0-1).

Subs:-  Dan Crossan for Darragh Caslin (17 minutes), Seán Tiernan (1-1) for Killian Courtney (half-time), Stephen Murray for Reuben Murray (58 minutes), John Gaffney for H Mulvihill (60 minutes), David Buckley for C Mullane (65 minutes).

LANCASHIRE: Ryan McCarthy, Patrick Dwane, Eoghan Kelly, Darren Collins, Andrew Shanahan (0-1), Luke Corbett, Adrian Doyle, Jamie McFadyen, Darren McNamara (0-1), Ethan Costello (0-2), Shane Nugent (0-2, 1f), Padraic Burke (0-2), Conor Murphy, Billy Donnellan (0-1), Tiarnan McKavanagh (0-2).

Subs:- Ryan Duffy (0-1)for Luke Corbett (17 minutes), Ciaran Digan for McNamara (55 minutes).

Referee: Sean Walsh (Waterford).