Tempers flare in fiery clash as Longford Town crash to defeat against Treaty United

Longford Town . . . 0   Treaty United . . . 3

Town keeper Jack Brady was dismissed on sixty-two minutes, while Treaty player Ben O’Riordan was sent-off along with Town coach Gavin Peers, deep into stoppage time. 

The Town created the game’s first real opportunity on the quarter-hour mark when Aodh Dervin delivered a dangerous curling cross from the right that was headed on by Jamal Ibrahim to Gary Armstrong near the back post, but his shot was straight at Treaty keeper Shane Hallahan.

However, the Limerick side dominated proceedings for the rest of the first half in creating numerous chances.

In the sixteenth minute, a Dean George pull-back from the left picked out Conor Barry sixteen yards out from goal, but he blazed his shot well over the Town crossbar.

Four minutes later, a Marc Ludden corner from the left resulted in O’Riordan’s close range header being brilliantly tipped over by Longford keeper Brady.

Treaty were putting the Longford defence under severe pressure from their corners and eventually it paid dividends for the visitors on twenty-five minutes when they took the lead.

Moments before they scored, Town keeper Brady produced a sharp save from O’Riordan who had cut into the Town box from the right, but shortly afterwards, they were deservedly ahead when another brilliant corner delivery from Ludden was headed home by Treaty striker Curran.

In the twenty-seventh minute, the Limerick side almost doubled their advantage. A quick throw-in from Ludden caught the Town players off guard and Dean George had only Brady but  the Town stopper produced an excellent save from the striker’s shot.

Within a minute, the home side had another lucky escape when George raced clear, rounded keeper Brady and seemed destined to shoot into the empty net, only for Shane Elworthy to come to the Town’s rescue with a superb last-ditch tackle.

Brady produced his fourth outstanding save in the thirty-sixth minute when reacting smartly to keep out another O’Riordan effort after a defensive mistake from Longford.

Two minutes into the second half, Treaty again carved open the Town defence when Alec Byrne waltzed his way past three defenders before threading a perfectly weighted ball into the path of George, only for his shot across the face of the Town goal flashing inches wide of the far post.

Treaty went 2-0 up on sixty-two minutes when they were awarded a penalty. A Ludden throw into the box from the left resulted in Town centre-back Cian Byrne penalised for climbing all over Darren Nwankwo, and up stepped Curran to slot home from the spot sending Brady the wrong way.

However, controversy followed in the aftermath, as Curran got Town keeper Brady dismissed. The Treaty scorer deliberately ran up to Brady who responded to the provocation by pushing him away, but Curran hit the deck. 

Brady, who had been booked for disputing the penalty award, then received his second yellow card followed by the red, while Curran got off scot free. 

Treaty sealed the victory and the three points when substitute Stephen Christopher swept home a Byrne pass on seventy-five minutes.

There was a major flare up in stoppage time when Treaty had O’Riordan shown a straight red card after a tussle with Longford’s Cian Byrne, while Town coach Gavin Piers was harshly dismissed when all he was trying to do was to shield Byrne in the brawl.

Longford Town are away to Wexford FC in their next league game on Friday, May 19, with a 7.45pm kick-off at Ferrycarrig Park. 

LONGFORD TOWN: Brady, Giurgi, Elworthy, Byrne, O’Connor, Dervin, Verdon, Armstrong, Ibrahim, Meaney, James.

Subs:- Daly for Armstrong, O’Brien Whitmarsh for James (both 58 minutes); Bourke for Meaney (64 minutes), Fay for Daly (87 minutes).

TREATY UNITED: Hallahan, O’Riordan, Spain, Nwankwo, Ludden, Barry, Byrne, Devitt, Armshaw, Curran, George. 

Subs:- Kelly for Barry, Christopher for Armshaw (both 68 minutes), Coughlan for Curran (79 minutes), Kirkland for George and Conroy for Byrne (both 86 minutes).