Longford ladies make impressive start to league with comprehensive victory over Derry

The Longford Ladies got their Lidl National Football League Division Four campaign off to a brilliant start with a comprehensive 5-14 to 1-8 victory over Derry at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Sunday last.

Lidl National Football League Division 4 Round 1: Longford 5-14 Derry 1-8

Two goals from Niamh Brady and a goal each from Katie Crawford, Ella O’Reilly, and Sian Gallagher earned all three valuable points for Brian Farrell’s charges.

It was a dominant display from Longford in all sectors of the field and once the threat of Derry midfielder Leah Casey was curbed in the second-half, any remote chance of a Derry comeback from their half-time deficit of eight points was completely extinguished.

The movement and quick distribution of the ball from Longford was impressive throughout and their opening score after two minutes was a perfect demonstration of this.

Kamille Burke, who was heavily involved in a lot of the home side’s first half attacking forays, delivered a precise crossfield ball to Ella O’Reilly who set-up Katie Crawford to split the uprights from twenty-five yards out.

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Derry responded with a Leah Casey free after five minutes but Crawford restored Longford’s lead with her second point from a central position from about thirty-yards out.

The home side should have raised a green flag in the ninth minute when a pin-point pass from Burke put Niamh Brady in the clear but she shot straight at Derry keeper Thomasina Cassidy.

Brady made amends a minute later with a point and shortly afterwards Longford were four points to one ahead when O’Reilly slotted over an exquisite point with the outside of her left boot from a difficult angle on the left.

Longford should have been further ahead but a combination of shots dropping short, efforts sailing wide and another pointed attempt coming back off the upright kept Derry just the three points behind.

Casey converted another free for the visitors but O’Reilly rattled the Derry net on the quarter-hour mark after being set-up by Burke, and within a minute Longford raised their second green flag of the contest to go eight points clear with Burke again involved. A Burke shot was brilliantly saved by Derry stopper Cassidy but Crawford was on hand to blast the rebound to the Derry net.

Longford could have had another two goals but Brady fired a good chance straight at Cassidy and then she fired another effort wide from close range after brilliant work from Katelyn McKeon and Ella Duggan.

Longford added another four points in the final ten minutes of the half with a brace from Burke and further scores from Gallagher and O’Reilly, while Derry also registered four points in that period courtesy of three Casey points (two frees) and another point from Aine Ni Lochlainn, as Longford were ahead by 2-8 to 0-6 at the interval.

Derry needed to get off to a fast start in the early stages of the second half, but it was Longford who blitzed the Ulster side, as Brady goaled in the first minute of the second half and within three more minutes, they added two more points to lead by 3-10 to 0-6 with O’Reilly and Burke raising the white flag.

A superb diagonal ball from right to left from Edel Sheehy put Burke clean through on goal only for her shot to come back off the butt of the post and then she fired the rebound wide.

Brian Farrell’s charges had scored 2-4 in the second half before Derry responded with their first score of the half which was a goal from close range converted by corner forward Kaci Deery.

Crawford and Shauna Hagan made it 3-12 to 0-6 and then on forty-seven minutes, Longford’s fourth goal arrived courtesy of a stunning move involving several players. Gallagher surged forward from midfield, passed to Hagan, she found Sheehy who passed to Gallagher and she rifled the ball to the Derry net. Deery’s goal for the visitors a minute later still left them trailing by fifteen points with twelve minutes remaining.

Burke pointed for the Midlanders while Derry responded with points from Sarah Hargan, and a Casey free. Longford concluded the scoring with a goal and a point from Brady. Brady bagged her second goal of the match on the hour mark after a poor kickout from the Derry keeper was intercepted by Aisling Cosgrove who passed to Brady and she rifled the ball to the roof of the Derry net.

Next up for Longford is another home game this Sunday with Kilkenny the opposition at a venue to be confirmed.

LONGFORD: Aoife Cooney; Ailbhe Brady, Emma Bleakley, Leanne Keegan; Funmi Talabi, Caoimhe McCormack, Ella Duggan; Sian Gallagher (1-1), Shauna Hagan (0-1); Ella O’Reilly (1-3), Katie Crawford (1-3), Katelyn McKeon; Kamille Burke (0-4), Niamh Brady (2-2, 0-1 free), Edel Sheehy.

Subs: Emily Reilly for L Keegan, Aisling Cosgrove for F Talabi (both 40 mins), Caoimhe Lohan for E Sheehy, Naoise Hourican for E O’Reilly (both 45 mins), Siobhan Egan for A Cooney (48 mins).

DERRY: Thomasina Cassidy; Tori Donnelly, Grace Brewster, Jane Corr; Anna Donnelly, Sarah Hargan (0-1), Caoimhe Dillon; Annie Crozier, Leah Casey (0-6, 5f’s); Anna Martin, Orla McEvoy, Niamh Hannon; Annie Ni Lochlainn (0-1), Jeanette Slevin, Kaci Deery (1-0).

Subs: Isabella O’Kane for T Cassidy, Annie Duffy for T Donnelly (both 35 mins), Annie Duffy for A Ni Lochlainn (52 mins).
Referee: Henri Clifford.