Longford go from silverware to despair as they falter to Laois in league opener

Laois . . . 1-12  Longford . . . 2-7 

Just seven days after defeating a very experimental Dublin side at the same venue and winning the O'Byrne Cup for the second year in succession, Longford were brought crashing back down to earth with an almighty thud in a disappointing defeat against Laois in the opening round of the Allianz National Football League Division 4 at O'Moore Park on Saturday evening last.

Without the injured Daniel Mimnagh who was replaced by Michael Quinn on the selected team to start against Laois, this loss heaps serious pressure on Longford manager Paddy Christie and his squad as they face Tipperary, the other county who came down from Division 3 in 2023, in Round 2 on Sunday next in Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.

Christie’s charges will look back on the game with huge regret as they missed a number of goal chances with a clinical finish failing his players when they needed it most.

Jayson Matthews had two massive chances with his first effort saved from excellent Laois keeper Killian Roche when he was one-on-one. His second goal chance just needed a touch to end up in the net but the ball flashed agonisingly past the post from a Longford perspective.

Longford, having played against the strong wind in the first half, trailed by 0-7 to 0-2 at the break and when Darren Gallagher's 46th minute penalty goal brought them to within a point, 1-5 to 0-9, the task certainly didn't look beyond the visitors.

However, Longford capitulated over the next few minutes, leaking 1-2 without reply, and trailing by six points, 1-5 to 1-11 after 57 minutes, the outlook was bleak and so it remained.Longford did net a consolation goal deep into injury time as the curse of winning the O'Byrne Cup looks to be coming back to haunt them once again.

After beating Louth in the 2023 O'Byrne Cup Final, Longford's Division 3 league campaign turned out to be a dismal affair and ended in relegation to Division 4.

The current campaign hasn't begun any better than 12 months ago and everyone will be hoping that Christie and his players can turn things around and play themselves back into promotion contention by getting some positive results, starting with a win against Tipperary who suffered a surprise defeat at home to improving Carlow last weekend.

Killian Roche and Damon Larkin were immense for Justin McNulty's side with the Laois goalkeeper racking up five points while Larkin fired in 1-2 from midfield.

Roche got the game's first score with a beautiful point under the stand. Then Ben Dempsey, making his Laois League debut, put in a superb one-handed challenge as Longford attacker Cathal McCabe weaved his way through the opposing defence.

Damon Larkin pushed Laois two points ahead as he caught an opposing kick-out before playing a one-two with Shaun Fitzpatrick which resulted in a white flag.

Evan O'Carroll opened his account as Laois captain with an outside of the boot effort. Longford got their opening score when defender Ryan Moffett shot over the bar after 15 minutes. Cathal McCabe doubled Longford's tally soon after with a score from play.

Laois ended the first half with four points unanswered. Larkin and Roche (free) both put the ball between the posts before two frees from O'Carroll left the home side ahead 0-7 to 0-2 at the break.

In the midst of the Laois scores, Roche pulled off a magnificent one-on-one save from a Jayson Matthews' effort. Laois were full value for their lead after playing with the advantage of the wind in the first half.

Joseph Hagan reduced the gap to four points at the beginning of the second half as he hand-passed the ball over the bar. Roche then kicked his third point of the game before Darren Gallagher, in his 100th Longford senior appearance, replied with a free.
Mark Barry (free) and substitute Mark Hughes (mark) traded scores before Longford were awarded a penalty. McCabe was fouled with Gallagher stepping up to send Roche the opposite way for a badly needed goal.

Laois goalkeeper Roche was having a superb game as he soon took his tally to four points with his second free.
Laois then scored a crucial goal as Mark Timmons slipped the ball to Larkin, who made no mistake with his finish into the back of the net to take his individual tally to 1-2. Roche would soon add a fifth point to his name to push the home side six points ahead.

Cathal McCabe and Mark Barry traded scores while Laois finished the game with 14 men as substitute Danny O'Reilly was shown a black card in the 66th minute.

Mark Hughes added another point to Longford's tally and they then had a huge opportunity to raise a second green flag as Gallagher blasted the ball wide when through on goals.

Laois had a goal disallowed in added time as Seamus Lacey tapped the ball into the net after Ciaran Burke's effort had been blocked but it was ruled out for a square ball.

Longford did get a second goal late on through substitute Dylan Farrell in the third minute of stoppage time but it was too little too late as Laois won out by two points in the end.

SCORERS – Laois: Damon Larkin 1-2, Killian Roche 0-5 (0-2 frees), Evan O’Carroll 0-3 (0-2 frees), Mark Barry 0-2 (0-1 free).

SCORERS - Longford: Darren Gallagher 1-1 (1-0 pen, 0-1 free), Dylan Farrell 1-0, Mark Hughes (0-1 mark) and Cathal McCabe 0-2 each, Joseph Hagan and Ryan Moffett 0-1 each.

LAOIS: Killian Roche; Ben Dempsey, Seamus Lacey, James Kelly; Eoin Buggie, Mark Timmons, Brian Byrne; Conor Heffernan, Damon Larkin; Kevin Swayne, Niall Dunne, Shaun Fitzpatrick; Mark Barry, Evan O’Carroll, Niall Corbet.

Subs:- Eoin Lowry for Corbet (42 mins), Daniel O’Reilly for Buggie (62 mins), Sean O’Flynn for Larkin (68 mins), Ciaran Burke for Heffernan (70 mins), Mikey Dempsey for Dunne (72 mins).

LONGFORD: Paddy Collum; Patrick Fox, Oisin O’Toole, Bryan Masterson; Barry O’Farrell, Michael Quinn, Ryan Moffett; Darren Gallagher, Daire Duggan; Iarla O’Sullivan, Joseph Hagan, Keelin McGann; Daniel Reynolds, Jayson Matthews, Cathal McCabe.

Subs:- Mark Hughes for B O’Farrell (half-time); Dylan Farrell for D Duggan (59 mins); Liam Hughes for I O’Sullivan (injured, 66 mins).

Referee: Kieran Eannetta (Tyrone).