Casey lands dramatic winning point as Longford Slashers defeat Wolfe Tones in hurling championship

Despite eleven points from Cathal Mullane and a John Mulhern goal, Wolfe Tones suffered a narrow one-point defeat to Longford Slashers at Bertie Allen Park on Sunday last, as ten points from David Buckley and three points from man-of-the-match Johnny Casey helped edge Slashers to a hard earned 0-20 to 1-16 Longford senior hurling championship round two victory.

Longford Senior Hurling Championship Round 2 - Longford Slashers 0-20  Wolfe Tones 1-16

After their nine-point victory (5-13 to 0-19) over reigning champions Clonguish Gaels in round one, the Edgeworthstown side, who last lifted the JJ Duignan Cup in 2020, went into the contest in buoyant mood. However, it was Niall Ward’s charges who made the better start as they raced into a three points to one lead after seven minutes and they ultimately hung on for the win.

Although they lost narrowly, Wolfe Tones are guaranteed a place in the County Final for the first time since 2021 as they will end up with a better scoring average than at least one of the other two teams. 

Also read: Longford GAA results scoreboard

Wolfe Tones (2 pts) have a +8 score difference, while Slashers (2 pts) and Clonguish Gaels (0pts) have score differences of +1 and -9, respectively. 

Even if all three sides end up with one victory each, which would be the case should Clonguish beat Slashers in the last game, Wolfe Tones, under the management of John Lynam and Mattie McLoughlin are still safely through. 

The Scoring 

A Cathal Mullane free opened the scoring for Wolfe Tones, but a superb point from sixty metres out from Micheál Mulcahy and further points from play from Darragh Caslin and David Buckley gave Slashers a two-point cushion, 0-3 to 0-1. 

Back came Wolfe Tones as they reeled off the next six points without reply to lead by four points on eighteen minutes. Mullane fired over four successive frees while Killian Courtney and Dylan Hutchinson also split the uprights as John Lynam’s side led by 0-7 to 0-3.

Slashers reduced the deficit back to two points by the twenty-fourth minute with scores from Buckley (free), Sean Tiernan and a stunning point from inside his own half from Johnny Casey, with another Mullane free for Wolfe Tones sandwiched between those three Slashers’ points.

Slashers were level, 0-8 apiece, on twenty-five minutes with two points within sixty seconds courtesy of Buckley free and Darragh Caslin (play).

Also read: Superior Longford Slashers take first win of championship

Salshers went ahead with another Buckley free in the twenty-eighth minute as they concluded a purple patch of scoring six of the last seven points, but in the last minute of normal time at the end of the half, Wolfe Tones scored a goal to go two points up, 1-8 to 0-9.

A ball in from the right from Hutchinson was superbly caught by the leaping Killian Courtney who then delivered a superb short pass over several Slashers’ defenders into the path of John Mulhern who blasted the sliotar past the advancing keeper Noel Dunne.

Slashers responded to that set-back in fine fashion as they sent over three unanswered points in stoppage time - another stunning score from Casey from inside his own half, Jack Horgan Swaris (play) and another Buckley free gave the beaten finalists of the last two years a slender interval advantage, 0-12 to 1-8.

In the initial stages of the second-half, a Mullane free and a point from Jack Belton put Wolfe Tones back in front, only for Matthew Hawes to equalise, and then Slashers edged two points clear with two more Buckley frees, 0-15 to 1-10.

On thirty-nine minutes, Slashers almost raised the green flag when Mulcahy raced in on goal from the left only to see his shot flash narrowly wide.

The sides were again level on forty-two minutes as another Mullane free and Hutchinson’s second point of the match left the scores at Wolfe Tones 1-12 Slashers 0-15.

Niall Hawes then edged Slashers ahead again only for Mullane to equalise with a brilliant point from play despite having two defenders around him.

Two more Buckley frees gave Slashers a two-point cushion on fifty-one minutes but that lead was wiped out by scores from Mullane (another free) and Ronan Courtney to tie the scores once again, 0-18 to 1-15, with fifty-seven minutes on the clock.

Buckley and Mullane then swapped frees as the game went into injury time but it was fitting that man-of-the-match Johnny Casey sent over the winning score from a central position after receiving a brilliant pass from Sean Tiernan.

Apart from Casey, David Buckley, Sean Tiernan, Harry Mulvihill, Ronan Sheahan and Micheál Mulcahy impressed for the winners while Wolfe Tones were well served by Cathal Mullane, Cian McLoughlin, Adam Quinn and Killian Courtney.

LONGFORD SLASHERS: Noel Dunne; Rory Maher, Ronan Sheahan, Kealan Cox; Daire Regan, Johnny Casey (0-3), Diarmuid Caslin; Harry Mulvihill, Jack Horgan Swaris (0-1); Matthew Hawes (0-1), David Buckley (0-10, 0-8f’s), Sean Tiernan (0-1); Micheál Mulcahy (0-1), Dylan Hennessy, Darragh Caslin (0-2).

Sub: Niall Hawes (0-1) for Hennessy (43 mins).

WOLFE TONES: Maitiú O Donohoe; Pearse McNally, Micheál Savage, Cian McLoughlin; Adam Quinn, Evan Tully, John Gaffney; James Connell, Martin Coyle; Dylan Hutchinson (0-2), John Mulhern (1-0), Cathal Mullane (0-11, 0-9f’s); Killian Courtney (0-1), Ronan Courtney (0-1), Liam Browne.

Subs: Jack Belton (0-1) for L Browne (half-time), Ciaran McNally for J Gaffney (57 mins), Iain Campbell for K Courtney (57 mins).

Referee: Francis Kelly.

Also read: Longford SHC: Crucial goals the vital factor as Wolfe Tones conquer Clonguish Gaels