Longford Rugby Club overcome Athy in the tough battle to avoid relegation

Longford RFC . . . 20   Athy RFC . . . 16 

A win was simply non-negotiable and again like recent fixtures the squad depth was tested to its limit with numerous 1st squad players unavailable due to injury.

The odds were stacked against the home side, but this team has an admirable “never say die” attitude and as they took the pitch a laser like focus was noticeable. The clouds began to gather over Longford Rugby Club as the kick-off approached and on que the heavens opened as the game got underway.

 An immediate contest for the ball between both packs was in full swing when the sound of the referee’s whistle sounded to Athy’s benefit. A penalty was awarded just inside the Longford half which was slotted over by the Athy Outhalf. 

Longford were down 3-0 with 1 minute on the clock but they  responded on 5 minutes with a well fielded ball by the excellent Ryan McHugh at fullback who ran hard back at Athy before launching a sweet spiral down into the Athy 22. 

Tom Gilheany led the chase and caught the defending Athy player over his own line to force an attacking 5-metre scrum to Longford. Unfortunately, the ball was knocked on in the phases that followed but the line was drawn and Athy were put on notice early in terms of Longford’s intent in the game.

 Indeed, from a driving Lineout maul immediately afterwards, Longford appeared to be over only for the referee to judge Seamus McKeown to be held up.

However, on 15 minutes Longford were finally rewarded for their excellent early pressure when Tom Gilheany blocked down an attempted clearance by the Athy Outhalf. As the ball spun on the turf behind the Athy try line, it was the in-form David Geelan who pounced first to secure the opening try of the game. Ryan McHugh converted to deservedly swing the scoreboard 7-3 in Longford’s favour.

Athy closed the gap to 7-6 on 19 minutes after Longford were harshly penalised at a ruck. Indeed, Athy were very fortunate that the referee missed an obvious act of foul play in the same incident that really should have resulted in a penalty to Longford. 

However, Longford again displayed composure to secure a penalty immediately from the restart of play which Ryan McHugh landed from distance. The scoreboard moved to 10-6 to Longford.

The next eight minutes were frantic as both teams upped the tempo and landed blow after blow without breaking either line. On reflection it was perhaps the home team who were guilty of lacking the cutting edge after several visits to the Athy 22 were frustrated by either poor execution or the determination of Athy’s defence.

 An incident took place on 28 minutes when a Longford player was pinned to the ground after play moved on. Several Athy players took part in a scuffle with the single Longford player which really should have resulted in a penalty to Longford – however it was bizarrely

Longford who were penalised when Packie Molloy was shown a very harsh yellow for simply breaking up the incident.

 Longford now had to weather the storm created by the 1-man disadvantage to half time and did so superbly. To their huge credit it was Longford who emphatically closed the first half with a statement of intent when Ali McCormack secured possession from the lineout and the excellent Mark McHugh crashed over the Athy try line off a driving maul.

Ryan McHugh again converted – 17-9 to the home side at the break.

The battle didn’t lose any intensity in the second half as both sides continued to run the ball hard at each other. In the forwards Seamus McKeown, David Geelan, Kieran O’Gorman and Packie Molloy in particular were putting in huge shifts. 

However, it was perhaps Mark McHugh and ultimate Player of the Match Tom Gilheany who in tandem caused most havoc with ferocious intensity in their line speed and dynamic defence.

The backs showed similar intensity with both Colm Glynn & George McDermott forming a very well-balanced centre partnership that was well serviced all day by a resurgent Danny McHugh at Outhalf. 

Ryan McHugh was imperious all game at Full Back and the ever improving Rioch Farrell has a very solid outing on the wing. It is hugely encouraging that collectively the team are playing with a far improved shape and application of the new systems introduced by coach Henry Bryce this season.

Longford were awarded another penalty on 56 minutes which Ryan McHugh sent straight between the posts to give the home side an extended, and deserved lead of 20-9. Athy did strike back however on 78 minutes with a converted try after several waves of pressure. The scoreboard moved to a dangerous 20-16 score line with what those in attendance thought was the final play of the game.

 The referee however indicated a restart and Athy went for broke, launching several waves of attack before thankfully they knocked the ball on. With that the final whistle sounded much to the relief of players and spectators alike – Longford had done it!

Eyes however immediately moved to events elsewhere as the result of the Mullingar v Wicklow game was eagerly awaited. Unknown to most however, that fixture bizarrely kicked off a full 30 minutes after their scheduled 3pm start time which meant that for 30 minutes nobody knew if Longford heroics on the day were going to be enough to push their fate into the final day.

 Longford needed Mullingar to lose in order to keep them in our sights going into the final round of fixtures on March 25th. Indeed, Mullingar took the lead in their fixture after the match had ended in Longford and the most anxious of waits began to see if Wicklow could do us a massive favour.

 Remarkably they did just that, taking the win in the final phase of play in that game which meant that Longford are still alive in terms of the great escape.

Longford’s final game is away to Dundalk in an absolutely must win fixture where only a bonus point win will do, coupled with a Mullingar defeat in their away trip to Athy on the same day. 

The aim is to exchange places with Mullingar with the potential reward of a play-off against the runner up in Division 2A which currently looks like being either Clondalkin or Coolmine RFC.

If ever a season went down to the wire this is it. This team knows what now has to be done and are determined to do it. Never say never…

LONGFORD: 1 – P Farrell 2– M McHugh 3 – S McKeown 4 D Geelan 5 P Prunty 6 K O’Gorman 7 T Gilheany 8 P Molloy 9 R Shaw 10 D McHugh 11 D Masterson 12 C Glynn 13 G McDermott 14 R Farrell 15 R McHugh 16 B Hanley 17 E O’Hara 18 A McCormack 19 F McGowan 20 B Harte.

 Upcoming Fixture

26/03/'23: Dundalk v Longford