Another great win as Longford Town take Treaty United to keep play-off hopes alive

Revitalised Longford Town kept alive their hopes of featuring in the First Division promotion play-offs in closing the gap behind fifth placed Treaty United to three points following another great win on Sunday.

Treaty United . . . 1    Longford Town . . . 2

 The midlanders took on Treaty in a refixture of Friday night’s storm-hit game at the Markets Field and came away with three precious points to make it very interesting indeed with Wexford FC also in the scrap for the last of the positions in the play-offs. 

Despite winning just two of their last eleven games, Treaty cling to that spot, with only the bare minimum separating them from Wexford who suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat at home to UCD on Sunday. 

Although the weather had improved considerably from Friday, conditions still made for anything but free-flowing football. It was the home side who created the bulk of the early opportunities with Mark Byrne and Patrick Ferry testing Kian Moore with early saves.

In the eleventh minute, it looked as though Ferry had broken the deadlock. The former Finn Harps man capitalised on a defensive error to unleash a powerful low shot toward goal, only for Moore to get down and make a top-class save, parrying the ball off the crossbar.

Longford, however, were the first to score nine minutes later. Stefan Ugbesia picked up possession at the edge of the box and forced a strong save from Corey Chambers, but Aaron Doran was quickest to react to the rebound, burying the ball into the empty net.

Mark Byrne tried to respond for the home side three minutes later but his curling effort sailed high and wide of the post, before Karl O’Sullivan followed up with a shot that flew over the bar.

In the 32nd minute, Treaty went close again when Richkov Boevi’s thundering header was parried by Moore. Eoin Martin followed up on the rebound, but his effort was blocked by a wall of Longford bodies on the goal line.

Right on the stroke of half-time, it looked as if the Shannonsiders had secured a deserved equaliser. Karl O’Sullivan and Ferry combined to slip through Mark Byrne, but the former Sligo Rovers man saw his effort brilliantly tipped away by the fingertips of Kian Moore.

Immediately after the restart, O’Sullivan went close for the home side before Ferry netted a deserved equaliser in the 49th minute. Lee Devitt cushioned a lofted ball into the path of the onrushing Ferry, who slipped past his marker and buried a low shot into the corner of the net.

 However, as the Shannonsiders pushed for a second, Longford picked them off with ease on the counter attack. Nine minutes later, Osaze Irhue marauded forward down the left wing before neatly squaring a pass to Ugbesia, who calmly dispatched the ball into the back of the net to restore the  advantage.

As the visitors dropped into a low block to protect their lead, it was Treaty who looked more likely to concede, with Longford poised to strike on the counter-attack and the Shannonsiders unable to create anything substantial.

Three minutes from time, it looked as though Longford might seal the victory as Emre Topcu and Irhue combined, but Chambers stood firm to make the save.

 Ben Lynch and Lee Devitt tried their luck in added time, and in the seventh minute of stoppage, Ben Lee rose highest to meet a Devitt free -kick, but his header sailed well wide as Longford held on for a crucial three points.

Next up for Treaty is a visit from  Bray Wanderers on Friday before the final-round showdown away to Wexford. 

Meanwhile, Longford will look to continue their late play-off push at home against Cobh Ramblers at Bishopsgate on Friday night, kick-off 7.45pm with the final First Division fixture away to Athlone the following weekend. 

 TREATY UNITED: Corey Chambers, Evan O’Connor, Richkov Boevi, Ben Lynch, Colin Conroy, Eoin Martin, Karl O’Sullivan, Mark Byrne, Lee Devitt, Conor Wilson, Patrick Ferry.

 Subs:- Lee Lynch for Wilson 46 mins, Niko Kozlowski for O’Connor 74 mins, Roy Lawlor for Byrne 74 mins, Ben Lee for Conroy 83 mins, Trpimir Virljicak for Martin 90.

LONGFORD TOWN: Kian Moore, Osaze Irhue, Oisin Hand, Erick Yoro, Sean Moore, Alex O’Brien, Aaron Doran, Emre Topcu, Pharrell Manuel, Dean George, Stefan Ugbesia. 

Subs:- Danny Norris for George 79 mins, Emmanuel James for Ugbesia 79 mins, Aaron Walsh for Doran 90.

Referee: Daryl Carolan.