Delighted Longford manager Mike Solan reflects on incredible winning feeling

On an amazing day for Longford GAA at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, the Longford footballers came back from eleven points down in the second half to beat Wicklow by a point to earn promotion at their expense, along with a place in Saturday’s Allianz National Football League Division 4 Final against Carlow in Croke Park, throw-in 5pm.

It was a stunning display of resilience, fortitude and a never-say-die attitude that was a joy to watch and it was an incredible experience to have witnessed such a memorable victory for the team.

Speaking to the Leader after the game, the Longford manager Mike Solan was in an ecstatic mood.
“It’s an incredible feeling, we are just absolutely delighted to get the win, the way we came back from the dead was incredible. When we were eleven or twelve points down, we were worried and despondent, but the way the lads responded was brilliant.

“We had a couple of passages of really good play and we took our chances including the two goals that we converted. We said to the lads to just keep at it and that’s exactly what the lads did, they kept the pressure on Wicklow and they kept building momentum until the seventy or seventy-five minutes were up.

“The only time we led in the game was when Dan (Daniel Reynolds) slotted over that winning point right at the end, but that is when a lead matters the most, right at the end of the game. That’s the most important part of any match, to be ahead when that final whistle goes and that is the reality. It’s a very special day for Longford GAA, a very special day.”

Mike also agreed that the home venue does make a huge difference to a team and that the home crowd certainly played their part for Longford on Sunday.

“It certainly does make a huge difference to have a home crowd behind you and today we had a very vocal Longford support behind us and we were delighted to get that vital support. Hopefully, we will have a large vocal support behind us in Croke Park next Saturday for the league final. 

“I said it to the lads in the dressing room that every Longford person at the game today or listening to it on the radio will be on a high and in a great mood after that win. It’s a really proud day for the county, for the players, for the management team, and for the families of everyone involved with the team and everyone involved in Longford GAA.

These days do not come around very often and when they do, days like today are really, really special.’
Mike finished off by praising the panel of players whose effort and commitment have been rewarded.

“All the credit just has to go to the players, they are the ones who are travelling up and down the road several times a week for training, they train incredibly hard and they are fully committed.

“It wasn’t me or any of my management team who were putting their bodies on the line today, it was the players and it was they who were diving on the boots of the Wicklow players getting their blocks in and showing real grit and determination.

“So all the credit for promotion has to go to the players, they were absolutely brilliant, and I and my management team are so proud of the players and everyone that follows Longford GAA has to be proud of that brilliant bunch of players in the Longford squad.

“We have earned the right to go to Croke Park and now we are going up there to perform and produce a display that the players and supporters deserve.”