Longford Senior Football Championship: Paul Barden goal proves decisive as Clonguish defeat Dromard to reach semi-final

Clonguish . . . 1-14   Dromard . . . 0-15

The losers suffered a significant setback just before the break as defender Peter Masterson was sent-off after receiving a second yellow card in the 28th minute and it was always going to be a difficult task with 14 players for the entire second half.

Clonguish had established a comfortable 1-14 to 0-11 advantage when Ciaran Williams shot over the bar in the 52nd minute but they failed to register another score as Dromard gradually closed the gap with four points in a row through Francis McGee (three frees) and Jamsie Martin in a brave bid to avoid defeat.  

CLONGUISH: Declan McKenna; Ronan Sweeney, Anthony Watters, Gerry Moore; Stephen McLoughlin, Brendan Devine, Darren Quinn; Peter Hanley, Paddy Dowd (0-2, frees); Colin Farrell, David Barden (0-1), Chris Gordon (0-1); Ciaran Williams (0-1), Paul Barden (1-2), Joe O’Brien (0-7, six frees).

Subs:- Neil Devlin for G Moore (22 mins); Kevin Burke for C Gordon (37 mins); Stephen Norton for C Farrell (40 mins); Shane O’Brien for A Watters (black card, 47 mins); Daniel McHugh for P Dowd (54 mins).

DROMARD: Sean McNerney; Niall Vance, Peter Masterson, Paul McGee; Peter Reynolds, David Pettit, John Sheridan (0-2); Diarmuid Masterson, Bernard Sheridan; James Mimnagh, Ronan McEntire (0-1), Ross McNerney; Jamsie Martin (0-4, three frees), Cian Mimnagh (0-1), Francis McGee (0-7, five frees).

Subs:- Emmet Masterson for D Pettit (half-time); Kevin Donohoe for E Masterson (53 mins).

Referee: Michael Farrell (Ballymahon).  

Full match report in the Longford Leader, on sale on Wednesday