Disappointed Longford manager Mike Solan hoping for better things in the shoot out against Wicklow

The Longford senior footballers bid to top the National Football League Division 4 League table came badly unstuck at Heartlands Credit Union Páirc Seán MacDiarmada when they suffered a comprehensive ten-point loss to Leitrim on Sunday last. 

 Despite this setback the midlanders can still earn promotion with victory at home to Wicklow next Sunday if either Carlow or London fail to win their games against Leitrim and Antrim respectively.

Speaking after the match, the Longford manager Mike Solan expressed his disappointment at the heavy defeat.

“We just did not reach the intensity on the pitch that we were hoping to be at, but credit to Leitrim, they were the much better team on the day and deserved their victory. We just have to learn from it and move on from it. 

“We did not get the start we wanted in the second half and Leitrim outscoring us 1--6 to 1 point in that twenty minute or so spell left us with too much to do. 

“When we were five points down, we would have had a fairly strong breeze at our backs in the second half, but as I have mentioned in previous interviews, a breeze is just a breeze, and you still have to make the right decisions and take the shots from the right places. Unfortunately, we did not get moving in the second half and it was Leitrim who built up the momentum.”

Another factor in the contest was that Leitrim hit four two-pointers in the first half while Longford until Oran Kenny’s last kick-of-the-game two pointer had only registered one other two pointer courtesy of Dessie Reynolds, while eight second half wides also came back to haunt the visitors, and Mike reflected on these issues.

“Our conversion rate and our efficiency was not as good as we would have liked today, but again, that is something on which we will work. It was a stiff breeze we had in the second half and Dessie kicked a good two-pointer, but we probably needed a few more. It is something that we will work on during the week.”

Leitrim dominated the middle third and this proved pivotal to their victory. Solan gave his thoughts on this matter.

“ I suppose there is so much of the game played there now between the two sixty-fives, the long kick-outs and the battle for the ball on the ground, it’s an absolute dogfight in that area of the pitch. You always hope to get the higher balance of the ball in that area, but it doesn’t always work out that way, but that’s the way it goes.”

Looking ahead to the Wicklow game at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Sunday next, Solan wasn’t concerned about what will be happening elsewhere.

“There is no point worrying about the permutations involving anyone else, our own focus next weekend will be just on our match against Wicklow, making sure we are in good shape going into that game and performing on the day. That is all we can control next Sunday.”