Courageous Longford stage sensational comeback to pip Wicklow for promotion

Longford launched a sensational comeback to pip Wicklow for promotion in Division 4 of the National Football League after a thrilling second half at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Sunday last with Daniel Reynolds firing over the winning point in a frantic finish. 

Longford . . . 2-21    Wicklow . . . 2-20 

While Wicklow must be wondering how they managed to lose this action-packed match after holding a commanding 11-point lead when Christopher O’Brien fired over a two-pointer (play) in the 47th minute, Longford showed remarkable courage to somehow remain in contention.

This was a terrific team performance with the substitutes also playing a significant role in the amazing revival and the young Longford team can now look forward to the added bonus of a Croke Park appearance against Carlow in the Division 4 league title decider on Saturday evening, throw-in 5pm. 

Oisin O’Toole (62nd minute) and Paddy Moran (65th minute) scored the crucial goals that changed the course of the game to close the gap to just three points (2-17 to 1-17) and it was a real roller coaster from there until the eventual ecstatic end.

Longford outscored Wicklow 0-4 to 0-3 to emerge victorious with the first of the scores coming from influential substitute Moran along with a brace from Joseph Hagan with the last gasp point from Daniel Reynolds in the fifth minute of stoppage time clinching a major success.

Manager Mike Solan and his fellow mentors Enda McGahern and Joe Keane deserve a lot of credit for guiding the county senior footballers into Division 3 next season which did not seem possible after they lost to London in their first fixture.

No matter what happens against Carlow at Croke Park, gaining promotion is a big boost for Longford in the build-up to the Leinster Championship Round 1 showdown against neighbouring rivals Westmeath at Pearse Park on Sunday April 12.

Hurting from the bad defeat against Leitrim the previous weekend, it looked like more of the same dose when Wicklow raced into a 1-4 to 0-0 lead after just ten minutes with Kevin Quinn setting up the goal for Padraig O’Toole.

Longford eventually got their opening score in the 12th minute when Daniel Reynolds shot over the bar and another point quickly followed from Oran Kenny before the visitors regained the upper hand.

Three points in a row from goalkeeper Mark Jackson (‘45’), O’Brien and O’Toole and a goal from Oisin McGraynor in the 19th minute (created by Dean Healy) left Wicklow in a commanding position and it could have been worse as Peter Lynn (Longford’s best player throughout the league campaign) cleared a Kevin Quinn effort off the line.

When Quinn was on target in the 24th minute, the Garden County were 12 points ahead (2-8 to 0-2) and Longford looked to have no chance with the rampant opposition squandering a number of gilt edge chances which included goals.

The home county, to their credit, refused to throw in the towel and a strong finish to the first half yielded a total of seven points through Daniel and Dessie Reynolds (the latter blasting the ball over the bar when a goal was there for the taking), Oisin O’Toole and a couple of two-pointers (play and free) from Dylan Farrell.

A Kevin Quinn point in stoppage left the two goals separating the sides at the break (2-9 to 0-9) but Wicklow made a storming start to the second half with four points in a row through O’Toole, O’Brien, McGraynor (free) and Eoin Darcy to take a very tight grip on the game.

But Longford gradually began to produce their true potential in adding a most impressive 2-12 to their tally during the remainder of the match with three points apiece coming from Dylan Farrell (1 free) and Joseph Hagan with Oran Kenny, the ever consistent Peter Lynn, a brace from Daniel Reynolds with Paddy Moran and another replacement Cian Brady also on target.

The goals from Oisin O’Toole and Moran (a fine solo effort) in quick succession injected a new lease of life into Longford as they rose from the dead and the pressure got to wilted Wicklow in the so exciting closing stages despite a powerful overall performance from centre-half-back Jonathan Carlin who also kicked a couple of points.

LONGFORD: Eoin McGuinness (Longford Slashers); Patrick Fox (Mullinalaghta St. Columba’s), Ryan Moffett (Killoe Emmet Og), Bryan Masterson (Abbeylara); Peter Lynn (Longford Slashers, 0-1), Oisin O’Toole (Dromard, 1-1), Dessie Reynolds (Sean Connolly’s, 0-1); Liam Glennon (Carrickedmond), Ronan Sweeney (Clonguish); James Moran (Killoe Emmet Og), Matthew Carey (Clonguish), Daniel Reynolds (0-4); Dylan Farrell (St Brigid’s Killashee, 0-7, brace of two-pointers play and free, 1 free), Joseph Hagan (Dromard, 0-3), Oran Kenny (Rathcline, 0-2). 

Subs:- Niall Farrelly (Killoe Emmet Og) for L Glennon (half-time); Paddy Moran (Killoe Emmet Og, 1-1) for J Moran (46 mins); Cian Brady (Abbeylara, 0-1) for R Sweeney (46 mins); Ronan Bleakley (Dromard) for R Moffett (69 mins). 

WICKLOW: Mark Jackson (0-2, 2 45’s); Tom Moran, Matt Nolan, Malachy Stone; Gavin Fogarty, Jonathan Carlin (0-2), Darragh Fee; Dean Healy (0-1),Jack Hardy; Christopher O’Brien (0-4, 1 two-pointer play), Padraig O’Toole (1-3), Kevin Quinn (0-4); Oisin McGraynor (1-2, 1 free), Joe Prendergast, Eoin Darcy (0-2, 1 free).

Subs:- Jacques McCall for D Fee (injured, 29 mins); Cathal Baker for J Prendergast (60 mins); Conor Fee for E Darcy (67 mins); Jack Kirwan for J Hardy (70 mins). 

Referee: Liam Devenney (Mayo).