Dismal first half performance proves costly as Longford succumb to late Carlow surge in Tailteann Cup

Longford lost their Tailteann Cup round three encounter against Carlow at Laois Hire O’Moore Park in Portlaoise, going down to Carlow by two points on a full-time score of Carlow 2-13 Longford 1-14, a result that sees Longford handed a very difficult preliminary quarter-final tie away to Down in Newry next weekend.

Tailteann Cup Group 3: Round 3 - Longford 1-14 Carlow 2-13

Played in sweltering heat and before a paltry attendance, the opening score did not come until the ninth minute, and it was Carlow who got it when Colm Hulton pointed from a central position from about thirty-five metres out.

A minute later, Oran Kenny drew Longford level with a fine point from play cutting in from the left, only for Longford to concede a goal within sixty seconds.

The Carlow full-back Mikey Bambrick surged through the middle, outpacing the chasing Longford defenders before superbly slotting the ball beneath the advancing Longford Keeper Paddy Collum to rattle the Longford net.

The Midlanders responded well to register the next two scores, courtesy of a Dylan Farrell free, and an excellent point from Kenny after good set-up play from Dessie Reynolds and Darren Gallagher.

Longford almost drew level on fourteen minutes, but Joe Hagan’s attempted point came back off the Carlow uprights.

The sides were level on eighteen minutes as Colm Hulton fired over for Carlow while Kenny slotted over two frees for Longford, to leave the score, Longford 0-5 Carlow 1-2.

Both sides had goal chances in the next two minutes, but Carlow missed the best of those two opportunities. 

Firstly, Mickey Quinn went on a great run and slipped the ball into the path of Darren Gallagher, only for the Longford midfielder to slip and the chance was gone.

Straight down the other end, Carlow came very close to raising the green flag. Conor Crowley played a clever ball to the overlapping Colm Hulton only for his low diagonal shot to flash just inches wide of the far post.

Dylan Farrell then edged Longford ahead by 0-7 to 1-2 in the 23rd minute with a brace of points, one from play, and a free.

However, Carlow regained the lead on thirty-two minutes after scoring 1-1 without reply. Darragh Foley pointed a free and Jamie Clarke goaled from the penalty spot. Conor Crowley went on a storming run through the Longford defence and laid off a lovely pass to Shane Clarke who was hauled down for a stonewall penalty that was powerfully blasted home by Jamie Clarke.

Oran Kenny and Joe Hagan scored Longford’s last two points of the half, while Ross Dunphy and Conor Crowley fired over the Barrowsider’s last two scores, as Carlow led at the interval by two points, 2-5 to 0-9.

It was a disappointing performance from Longford in the first half especially as they played with a strong breeze, but it could have been worse for Paddy Christie’s side as Carlow kicked six wides in the opening half, whereas Longford were much more clinical with their scoring, registering just the one wide which did not occur until the thirty-fourth minute.

Longford played much better in the second half and they outscored Carlow by five points in the opening seventeen minutes to surge three point clear, 1-13 to 2-07.

Darragh Foley, with a free, gave Carlow a three-point cushion and that advantage was maintained when Foley (another free) and Oran Kenny swapped points.

Longford suffered a massive blow in the forty-third minute as Kenny, who was playing superbly, scoring six points into the bargain, went off injured, and was replaced by Darragh Doherty.

Carlow should have scored their third goal in the forty-fifth minute when Mark Furey charged in on goal only to fire his close-range strike over the bar with a goal for the taking, he could have also played a simple pass to another Carlow player for a tap-in, so it was a lucky escape for under the cosh Longford.

Longford also missed a glorious goal chance just two minutes later, as Ryan Moffett had his point-blank shot brilliantly saved by Carlow keeper Johnny Furey.

Longford then hit a purple patch as they scored 1-3 without reply to transform a three-point deficit into a three-point lead by the 52nd minute.

Darragh Doherty, Dylan Farrell and Aaron Farrell all split the uprights to draw Longford level, and then they raised the green flag after a brilliant move. 

A Carlow attack was intercepted by Peter Lynn in the midfield sector, he passed to Joe Hagan, and his long-range direct ball was brilliantly fielded by Darren Gallagher, who turned, and released the ball to the overlapping Patrick Fox and the St Columba’s man buried the ball to the back of the Carlow net.

Just as it looked as if Longford would take over, they suffered a second hammer blow when they were reduced to fourteen players for a ten-minute spell in the 55th minute as Mickey Quinn picked up a black card.

This swung the impetus back the way of Carlow and they took full advantage, reeling off four unanswered points before the Killoe man could resume his duties, and this resulted in Carlow regaining the lead as they edged ahead by a point, 2-11 to 1-13 in the 66th minute with all four scores coming from the boot of the highly influential Darragh Foley. 

Interestingly, Kilbride clubman and Carlow captain Foley has amassed 10-376 in 152 games for his county, making him Carlow’s leading all-time scorer and his scores were also vital in putting Longford to the sword on Sunday. 

Carlow then fired over their fifth and sixth unanswered points to lead by three with another score from Foley and a fisted point from substitute Aaron Amond.

Longford tried desperately to get the scores to get the draw that would have been enough to secure a home preliminary quarter-final, but they had to settle for a late Joe Hagan point, as Carlow held on for a two-point victory.

For Niall Carew’s Carlow, their reward is a home preliminary quarter-final tie against New York at 5pm on Saturday (live on GAAGo), but for Paddy Christie’s Longford they face an extremely difficult assignment away to Down (also on Saturday at 7pm and live on GAAGo). 

Earlier this year, Longford played Down in round six of the Allianz NFL Division 3 at Pairc Esler, Newry and lost by 1-19 to 1-14, a result which confirmed their relegation to Division 4 for the 2024 season. 

Scorers
Longford - Oran Kenny 0-6 (0-3 frees), Dylan Farrell 0-4 (0-3 frees), Patrick Fox 1-0, Joe Hagan 0-2, Aaron Farrell 0-1, Darragh Doherty 0-1

Carlow - Darragh Foley 0-8 (0-7 frees) Mikey Bambrick 1-0, Jamie Clarke 1-0 (penalty), Colm Hulton 0-2, Mark Furey 0-1, Conor Crowley 0-1, Aaron Amond 0-1

LONGFORD: Paddy Collum (Fr Manning Gaels); Patrick Fox capt. (Mullinalaghta St Columba’s), Andrew Farrell (Cashel), Bryan Masterson (Abbeylara); Iarla O’Sullivan (Rathline), Michael Quinn (Killoe Young Emmets), Peter Lynn (Longford Slashers); Ray Moffett (Killoe Young Emmets), Darren Gallagher (St Mary’s Granard); Joe Hagan (Dromard), Dessie Reynolds (Sean Connollys), Aaron Farrell (Dromard); Keelin McGann (Kenagh), Dylan Farrell (St Brigid’s, Killashee), Oran Kenny (Rathcline).

Subs: Darragh Doherty (Mostrim) for O Kenny (43 minutes), Tadhg McNevin (Longford Slashers) for A Farrell (50 minutes), Barry O’Farrell (Carrickedmond) for P Lynn (63 minutes), Matt Duffy (Dromard) for D Farrell (70 minutes)

CARLOW: Johnny Furey; Shane Buggy, Mikey Bambrick, Josh Moore; Shane Clarke, Mark Furey, Niall Hickey; Conor Doyle, Jordan Morrissey; Conor Crowley, Ciarán Moran, Ross Dunphy; Colm Hulton, Darragh Foley capt., Jamie Clarke.

Subs: Aaron Amond for C Moran, Jonah Dunne for S Buggy (both 57 mins), Eric Molloy for N Hickey (55 mins), Liam Brennan for C Doyle, Finbarr Kavanagh for C Hulton (both 72 mins)