Dublin dominant in the second half to knock the Longford minors out

The Longford U-17 footballers were eliminated from the Leinster Minor Championship as the physically stronger Dublin side turned on the power in the second half to score a comprehensive win in the Round 3 clash at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Tuesday evening. 

Dublin . . . 4-17     Longford . . . 1-12 

While the emphatic winning margin of 14 points separated the sides in the end, it was rough justice for the home county who only trailed by a couple of points (2-10 to 1-11) after Senan Buckley and Oisin McHugh fired over two-pointers from play in quick succession. 

Dublin then struck the killer blow with a goal from Andy McDonnell in the 45th minute and Longford ran out of steam in the final quarter of the contest that was watched by a sparse attendance amid the miserable wet conditions.  

The young Dubs took total control in adding another 1-7 to their tally during the remainder of the match with the impressive centre-half-forward Mo Salami getting his second goal in stoppage time as the visitors clinched a place in the knockout stage of the provincial championship.

The best Longford could manage was a point from Niall O’Donnell in the 55th minute and the manager Gary Toher will now focus on the All-Ireland ‘C’ Series in the hope of some silverware in the consolation competition that was won by the county last year. 

The midlanders were competitive in the first half in putting it up to the red-hot favourites who had to be content with a slender 2-5 to 1-7 lead at the break with Niall O’Donnell credited with a deflected goal while five of the points (1 two-pointer from play) were registered by Senan Buckley who was making a big impact.

Dublin should really have been further in front with Longford keeper Jack Cassidy producing fine point-blank saves to deny Cian Raftery twice in the first half but they gradually asserted their superiority on the changeover to emerge victorious with considerable comfort in the end.

LONGFORD: Jack Cassidy (Rathcline); Brayden Francis (Fr Manning Gaels), Sean Hagan (Clonguish), Ruairi Gibbons (Fr Manning Gaels); Shane Hannify (Fr Manning Gaels), Cillian Fagan (Mullinalaghta), Jack O’Farrell (Carrickedmond); Senan Buckley (Clonguish, 0-7, brace of two-pointers from play, 1 free), Robert Rowan (Kenagh); Oren McNerney (Dromard), Niall O’Donnell (Granard, 1-1), Eoin Beattie (Cashel); Conor Shannon (Killoe, 0-1), Oisin McHugh (Grattans, 0-2, two-pointer from play), Leon Madden (Colmcille, 0-1).

Subs:- Ruairi Flynn (Clonguish) for C Shannon (injured, 45 mins); Daire Toher (Clonguish) for E Beattie (51 mins); Sean Finlass (Ballymahon) for C Fagan (56 mins); Mark Keegan (Ardagh Moydow) for O McHugh (58 mins); Oran McKenna (Fr Manning Gaels) for L Madden (59 mins).

DUBLIN: Jamie Galvin; David Lombard, Adam Becton, Andrew Davis; Cormac Doran, James McCaghy (0-3, two-pointer from free and a ‘45), Bobby Doyle (1-0); Colm O’Carroll, Max Morrison (0-1); Cian Raftery (0-3, 1 two-pointer from free, 1 free), Mo Salami (2-1),  Andy McDonnell  (1-0); Jamie Heavey (0-6, 1 two-pointer from free, 2 frees), Cian O’Dwyer (0-2), Eoghan Madden.

Subs:- Daniel Guilfoyle for C Raftery (half-time); Archie Champ for A McDonnell (51 mins); Cillian Wilde (0-1) for E Madden (58 mins); Patrick Cahill for A Champ (injured, 58 mins), Alex McMahon for A Becton (stoppage time). 

Referee: Kieran Olwell (Meath).