Busy schedule for Longford rugby club adult, youth and mini squads

Men’s 1st XV news: In an enthralling home derby encounter on Sunday, Longford overcame a stiff challenge from neighbours Mullingar RFC, to earn a bonus point win, avenging the away loss earlier in the season.

On that occasion Longford took a strong lead into the break only for indiscipline to allow Mullingar back into the game. This time, no quarter was given by either side in the first half, while indiscipline cost both sides in the second half with the visitors down to 12 men at one point. 

Longford inflicted punishment on the score board to earn the 4 try bonus point win, following up on the seconds side who also had a big win over the neighbours in the earlier game. 

Sunday next Carlow host Longford at Oak Park. If Longford can maintain momentum and both Cill Dara and Dundalk slip up in their tricky away fixtures to Wicklow and Dundalk respectively, the fight for survival in Div1B gets really intriguing with 3 rounds remaining. 

Leinster League Div. 1B 

Results
25/09/22 Cill Dara 18-12 Longford
02/10/22 Longford 14-20 Wicklow
16/10/22 Mullingar 27-25 Longford
23/10/22 Longford 09-22 Carlow 
06/11/22 Tullow 28-10  Longford 
13/11/22 Athy 28-12 Longford 
27/11/22 Longford 18-14 Dundalk 
04/12/22 Longford 10-07 Cill Dara
15/01/23 Wicklow 14-13 Longford
22/01/23 Longford 29-20 Mullingar 

Upcoming Fixtures
29/01/23 Carlow v Longford 
19/02/23 Longford v Tullow 
15/03/23 Longford v Athy
26/03/23 Dundalk v Longford 

Men’s Senior training continues Tuesday and Friday evenings at 7.30pm. 

Ladies’ 2022/23 Season

Results
09/10/22 Longford 22-05 Arklow 
16/10/22 Longford 40-00 Greystones
23/10/22 New Ross 37-07 Longford
6/11/22 Longford 15-19 Wicklow J1
13/11/22 Clontarf 10-00 Longford
20/11/22 Longford 55-07 Gorey
4/12/22 Athy 31-27 Longford
11/12/22 Arklow v Longford Postponed 
8/01/23 Greystones 14-23 Longford
15/01/23 Longford 12-17 New Ross

Ladies upcoming fixtures
29/01/23 Wicklow J1 v Longford
5/02/23Longford v Clontarf
12/02/23 Gorey v Longford
26/02/23 Longford v Athy

Membership

New members should register with the IRFU on the following link. https://rugbyconnect.irfu.ie/

When prompted, select Leinster as the Provence, and then select Longford Rugby Club as your club. Once complete, note the player number. You are then directed to https://sportsmanager.ie/sportlomo/users/login to complete the process. 

Payment is online and must be made as part of the process.  Players are only approved and available for match selection when full payment and forms are completed.  

Youth Rugby, sponsored by MLC, Midlands Language Centre

Weekend Results 21/01/23
U18 Naas 31-05 Longford Div 1A
U18G Greystones v Longford Div 4 Game Off
U17 Portlaoise v Longford Div 1
U16G Longford 07-17 Navan Div 4
U16 Clondalkin 10-05 Div 2
U15 Longford 17-05 Edenderry Div 2
U14G Newbridge v Longford L2 North conceded. 

Upcoming fixtures 28/01/23 
U18G Longford v Wolves Div 4
U17 Midlands Warriors v Longford Div 1
U16G Roscrea v Longford 
U16 Longford v Mullingar ML
U14G Longford v Ardee L2 North
U13 Longford v Athy Cup game

Youth Match reports 

U16 boys

Clondalkin 10-05 Longford 

On a very soggy surface both sides slogged it out for 25 mins before Clondalkin broke the resolute Longford defence for the first try.  Conditions were that bad, that remaining on one’s feet was in itself a tricky task however the performance from Longford was exactly what we were missing in the last two fixtures. 

The hosts tagged on a second try after the break  Converting was an impossible task also on the sponge like surface so both sides had to plug away in turns. 

The outrageously high penalty count against the visitors was inexplicable.  Longford pressed for the line and Clondalkin conceded three successive penalties on the 5-metre line.  Players were warned for persistent penalties conceded but remained on the pitch where a card was warranted.  Two further offences were committed in the following phase however neither of these offences were sanctioned by the referee, but Longford fought bravely to hit back with a well-deserved score from Darragh Walsh.

Try as they might, Longford just couldn’t get over the line thereafter. On another day, this team performance had enough to win most matches. We will have to opportunity to play each of the last two teams again at home over the coming weeks to set the record straight on home ground. 

Best for Longford in a rounded team performance was Ryan Spollen, Conor O’Grady, and George Burns.  Rahman Aro-Lambo was a menace on the wing, but we didn’t get enough ball out to him. Darragh Walsh, Tom Murray and Senan Murphy were excellent defensively on difficult conditions. 

The team soon put the loss out of their minds as they headed on to the Aviva Stadium for Leinster’s final Champions Cup pool game against French side Racing 92.  Hopefully the bonus point performance resonates with the troop’s, and they repeat the commitment displayed in Clondalkin at our next game. 

Longford Squad: Ryan Spollen James Cosgrove, Tadgh McCauley, Conor O’Grady, Danny Kelly, Harry Byrne, Jamie Donohue, Daniel Corr, Donnacha Golden, Senan Murphy, Tom Murray, Jack Brogan, George Burns, Rahman Aro-Lambo, Darragh Walsh, Dan Donohoe, Gift Orbrehor, Niall Connaughton. 

U15 boys

Longford v Edenderry 

Longford U15s hosted Edenderry on Saturday last at the club. 

After 20 tense minutes, Longford had possession and drove through the middle giving them good field position just outside the visitors 20 metre line. More strong play set up Finbarr Thomas, who went over for the the first score of the game.

The battle between the two sides continued and Longford started to show a little more as the half progressed, leading to some good plays. The sustained pressure on the Edenderry 20 metre line saw Dylan Ledwith avoiding the defence and going over for the score. The conversion just missing but Longford stretched their lead to 12-0.

The visitors pushed for the Longford line with some good defensive work required by the Longford lads. However, the visitors continued to attack to go over in the corner for their first points. The conversion was missed at half time with Longford 12-5 ahead.

The second half started with both sides looking for the gaps for the first 15 minutes. Longford managed to raise their game and break the Edenderry defence with a couple of great runs from the forwards.  The resulting pressure was rewarded when Conor Clarke took the ball from the back of the ruck and rounded the Edenderry defence to go over for Longford’s third try, putting Longford in a deserved lead of 17-5.

The restart saw Edenderry come hard at the Longford defence which held up well. With 10 minutes to go the visitors crept closer to the Longford line but great defence kept them out. The visitors were pushing to the final whistle in an attempt to get a second score, but the Longford lads held them out coming out on top with a well deserved and hard-fought victory, 

Final score:  Longford 17-05 Edenderry 

Link to Leinster league and Midlands’s area competition fixtures and results can be found on the following link.

https://www.leinsterrugby.ie/domestic-rugby/domestic-fixtures-results/

Youth’s training 

Age group, coach contact details and training schedule as follows:

Girls’ teams

U14 girls - Mags McKenna  087 6309653

Wednesday 7:00-8:15pm

U16 girls – Morag Rowan 087 4135962

Wednesday 7:00-8:15pm

U18 girls – Declan Smyth 085 1375973

Wednesday & and Fridays 7.30pm

Boy’s teams

U13 – Lisa Brady 087 6119960

Monday 7.00-8.45pm

Saturday 10.30-11.30am 

U14 – Declan Elliott 086 8125363

Wednesday 7.00-8.15pm

U15 – Aoghan Clarke 087 6727002

Monday and Wednesdays 7.00-8.30pm

U16 – Padraig Murphy 087 6063587

Thursdays 6.30-8.30pm

U17 – Freddie Forde 086 1727145

Tuesdays and Thursdays 7.00-8.30pm

U18.5’s – Jimmy Murphy 086 2555621

Thursday 7.30-9.00pm

New players welcome at all age groups.  Just turn up with a gumshield. 

Please follow club social media for updates on our Instagram & Facebook profiles - Longford RFC

Mini Rugby 

Our U9’s & U10’s were in Tullamore on Saturday, U12’s headed for Birr on Sunday and the U6, U7, U8, U11 and U12 girls had training. 

Our Mini Mascots for the Senior Teams‘ Leinster League Game vs Mullingar RFC on Sunday were Rionagh, Fionn & Saoirse Gannon who play for our U6, U8 & U11 teams, pictured here with captain Danny McHugh… thankfully the ‘Luck of the Gannon’s’ rubbed off on our senior teams and we got the WINs 

For further information on all mini’s rugby, please contact your coach or our Mini’s Co-ordinator, Pauline Marlowe on Mob - 087 632 3373.

For all teams not involved in blitz games, Longford Mini Rugby continues on Sunday mornings, 10.30am at the club.

Players should wear football boots, appropriate clothing, and a gum shield. Blade type boots are not permitted. 

At Longford Rugby Club, we cater for all age grades from U6 up to U12 for both boys and girls with a girls’ team at U12. This group is for girls born 2010 & 2011.

Please note the following if your child was born in/Age Grade/Team contact:

2011 - Age Grade U12's -  Pauline Marlowe 087 6323373

2012 - Age Grade U11's – Mark Quinn 085 8642266

2013 - Age Grade U10's – Colm Glynn 087 1520428

2014 - Age Grade U9's – John Healy 0879884240

2015 - Age Grade U8's - TBC

2016 - Age Grade U7's  - TBC

2017 - Age Grade U6's* - TBC

2011 & 2012 Age Grade U12 Girls – Gerry Carthy 086 8046857

New players can be registered via this link 

https://rugbyconnect.irfu.ie/

For further information please contact Pauline Marlowe, Mini Co-ordinator, Longford RFC. 

Mob - 087 632 3373

New coaches are needed at the younger age groups. If you are interested in helping, please contact Pauline Marlowe or Gerry Carthy. 

Please follow club social media for updates on our Instagram & Facebook profiles- Longford RFC

Boot room

Parents - Why not check out the hugely popular Boot room here at Longford rugby club where we have a self replenishing stock of replacement boots.  You drop in a pair you no longer need and replace it with a pair that fits your child. That way your pair of boots doesn’t go to waste and someone else gets to benefit also, thus also helping someone else save a few Euros.  

If you have any boots that you wish to donate or exchange, please bring them into minis training and drop off the office for the attention of Gerry Carty or Pauline Marlowe who will assist with selecting the replacement pair.  Boots should be clean, laces intact and no missing studs.  No blades will be taken in.  

Please note it is not possible to guarantee there will be a suitable replacement available however we have rarely not had some to choose across a wide range of sizes.