Longford's ability to grab goals decisive as they defeat Leitrim in hurling league opener

After a cracking opening Allianz NHL Division 4 hurling game last Saturday afternoon in Heartland Credit Union Páirc Seán MacDiarmada, it was Longford’s ability to grab goals at the vital time that ultimately proved decisive against their brave 14-man neighbours, Leitrim.

Goals executed by Martin Farrell in the first half and another by Ronan Courtney with ten minutes to go, ensured that Longford claimed the spoils however Leitrim pushed them all the way.

Diarmuid Cahill’s Longford were the more clinical side in front of the goalposts while Leitrim failed to convert about three or four goal chances over the 70 minutes due to some excellent defensive work from the visitors.

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Leitrim opened brightly but failed to convert two early point chances. After that Longford, aided by the breeze, opened the scoring on the two minute mark when Seán Tiernan split the home side's uprights.

Two minutes later Leitrim got back into Longford territory and won a free which Sean O'Riordan whipped over. However the Longford men regained the lead within the space of another minute after Reuben Murray shot over a massive long range free.

Seán Tiernan and Martin Farrell (free) then added points each to put Longford further ahead, 0-1 to 0-4. Longford's Evan Tully was shown a yellow card on the 8 minute mark and a minute later Sean O'Riordan halved the visitor's lead when converting a second Leitrim free.

After the Leitrim defence was split wide open Longford responded with a 12th minute goal as Martin Farrell crashed the sliotar to the onion sack. Longford drove on after that over the next six minutes with Daniel Buckley and Seán Tiernan adding a point each, 0-2 to 1-6.

Leitrim, who hadn't scored for ten minutes, replied with a well taken Daniel Miller point on the 19 minute mark. Points apiece over the next three minutes by Sean O'Riordan (free) and Daniel Miller reduced the home side's deficit with Longford to four points, 0-5 to 1-6.

From then until the end of the first half Longford and Leitrim traded five points each at opposite ends. A Longford Ronan Courtney 23rd minute point was answered two minutes later by a Philip Burgess Leitrim free conversion.

Reuben Murray struck over a 28th minute '65' to which Leitrim's Daniel Miller replied almost immediately with a point from play. On the 31 minute mark, Ronan Courtney split the Leitrim uprights and within the space of another 60 seconds Leitrim sub Colm Canning answered from a free.

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The first half's final four scores (all points) were registered by Longford's Martin Farrell and Reuben Murray (free) and Leitrim's Sean O'Riordan (free) and Philip Burgess, who had been shown a  yellow card in this period. Longford enjoyed a 1-11 to 0 -10 lead at the interval.

Sean O'Riordan reduced Longford's advantage within two minutes of the restart when he fired over a Leitrim point. After Longford made their first second half foray into Leitrim territory Reuben Murray answered with a pointed placed ball six minutes later. Shortly afterwards Longford's David Buckley was shown a yellow card.

Leitrim then rallied impressively and cut the deficit with Longford to the minimum by the 47th minute. In this period Sean O'Riordan tapped over two Leitrim frees that were awarded for fouls on sub James McNabola and Martin Feeney, respectively, and then James McNabola, who was having a big impact for the home side since his half-time introduction, split the Longford uprights, 0-14 to 1-12.

Leitrim's revival suffered a setback when Longford hit back with points from two Martin Farrell frees by the 49th minute. Points from Philip Burgess and a Sean O'Riordan '65' once again reduced the deficit to the minimum by the 55th minute mark, 0-16 to 1-14.

However with ten minutes of normal time left Longford dealt Leitrim's fightback a serious blow when Ronan Courtney fired to the net. Shortly afterwards Leitrim’s Kevin Clerkin was shown a  yellow card.

A Sean O'Riordan 62nd minute Leitrim free conversion reduced Longford's advantage to three points, 0-17 to 2-14. Seán Tiernan replied with a Longford point a minute later and Leitrim was reduced to 14 men on the 64th minute mark when sub Paul Mulligan was shown  a red card.

In the closing action, Longford added points from a Reuben Murray free and from play by sub Micheál Mulcahy. In response, Sean O'Riordan converted two frees, the second of which was a fine long range effort, while prior to that Colm Canning also split the Longford posts.

Longford, who scored 1-6 in the second half, in the end were happy and relieved to come away with a three points victory after being pushed all the way by a battling Leitrim outfit, who shot ten points in the final 35 minutes of the action.

SCORERS

Leitrim: Sean O'Riordan 0-12, 10f, '65'; Philip Burgess 0-3, 3f; Daniel Miller & Colm Canning 0-2 each; James McNabola 0-1

Longford: Martin Farrell 1-4, 3f; Seán Tiernan (f) & Reuben Murray (65, 3f) 0-5 each; Ronan Courtney 1-1; Daniel Buckley & Micheál Mulcahy 0-1 each

TEAMS 

LEITRIM: Senan Keane; Pearse Kenny, Conor Hackett, Kevin Clerkin; Tommy Taylor, Martin Feeney, Paul Lenahan; Philip Burgess, Daniel Miller; Michael O'Brien, Sean O'Riordan, Stephen Goldrick; Joe Murray, Conor McLoughlin, Dean Earley. 

Subs: Colm Canning for Earley (30 mins), James McNabola for McLoughlin (half time), Paul Mulligan for Taylor (48 mins), Dean Earley for Murray (70 mins)

LONGFORD: Shane Nolan; James Connell, Sean Lancaster, Ciaran McNally; Evan Tully, Johnny Casey, John Murray; Reuben Murray, Harry Mulvihill: Darragh Cassin, Martin Farrell, Maitiu O'Donoghue; Seán Tiernan, David Buckley, Ronan Courtney. 

Subs: Dan Crossan for Tully (23 mins); Micheál Mulcahy for O'Donoghue (half time); Daire Regan for Mulvihill (53 mins)

REFEREE: Aidan McAleer (Donegal)