Managerless Longford Town snatch a last gasp draw away to Wexford FC

Wexford FC . . . 2   Longford Town . . . 2

While Longford Town are stuck at the bottom of the table and still searching for their first win in the Airtricity League this season, the players showed tremendous spirit to snatch a last gasp draw against Wexford FC in a dramatic finish at Ferrycarrig Park on Tuesday night. 

Without a manager since the departure of Stephen Henderson following the demoralising 3-0 defeat at home to Bray Wanderers at the weekend, first team coach Wayne Groves is currently in charge on a temporary basis and the return of Jordan Adeyemo yielded the equalising goal in the sixth minute of stoppage time.  

After rejoining the club, established striker Adeyemo was brought on to replace Chris Lyons in the 63rd minute with the latter having a penalty saved by the opposing keeper Owen Mason in first half stoppage time.  

That was proving to be a costly miss after the half-time Wexford substitutes Kaylem Harnett and Mikie Rowe scored in the 48th and 57th minutes to leave the home side in a commanding 2-0 lead and seemingly set to collect all three vital league points.

But resilient Longford never gave up the fight in the face of adversity and their perseverance was rewarded when Dean O’Shea pulled a goal back in the 80th minute as the revitalised visitors piled on the pressure in their fierce desire to salvage the situation.

Wexford were hanging on to their slender advantage but they eventually cracked with time almost up as Adeyemo found the back of the net to leave the sides all square in the end.

This positive result was a badly needed boost for Longford Town, who are surely better than their lowly league position would appear to suggest, and next up are the unbeaten table toppers Cork City with the renewed hope that the midlanders can spring a surprise at Bishopsgate on Saturday night, kick-off 7.30pm. 

There was some worrying news with both Shane Elworthy and Karl Chambers forced to retire injured during the course of the action-packed rearranged fixture against Wexford FC which was postponed earlier in the season due to the bad weather! 

The clubs will clash again at Bishopsgate on Saturday night week, April 27. 

WEXFORD FC: Owen Mason, Darragh Levingston, Ben Lynch, Cian O’Malley, Ethan Boyle, Kian Corbally, Thomas Oluwa, Mark Hanratty, Luka Lovic, Cian Curtis, Reece Webb.

Subs:- Mikie Rowe and Kaylem Harnett for Levingston and Curtis (half-time); Brandon McCann for Lovic (66 mins); James Crawford for Hanratty (90 mins). 

LONGFORD TOWN: Jack Brady, Shane Elworthy, Dean O’Shea, Jordan Tallon, Kyle  O’Connor; Luke Wade-Slater, Adam Wixted, Ross Fay, Karl Chambers; Francis Campbell, Chris Lyons. 

Subs:- Mohammed Boudiaf for Elworthy (injured, 44 mins); Samuel Clarke for Chambers (injured, half-time); Jordan Adeyemo for Lyons and Conor Crowley for Wixted (both in the 63rd minute). 

SSE Airtricity League First Division - Round 11

Longford Town v Cork City

At Bishopsgate: Saturday April 20

Kick-Off 7.30pm