Longford away to Wicklow in the O'Byrne Shield

Referee Kevin Williamson and Longford manager Mike Solan before the postponement of the Dioralyte O'Byrne Cup Round 1 match against Westmeath at Pearse Park on Saturday Photo: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

placeholder image — Referee Kevin Williamson and Longford manager Mike Solan before the postponement of the Dioralyte O'Byrne Cup Round 1 match against Westmeath at Pearse Park on Saturday Photo: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Semi-final clash at the Bray Emmets GAA grounds on Saturday, 2pm throw-in

Longford’s defence of the O’Byrne Cup (going for 3-in-a-row in the Leinster senior football tournament) ended without even kicking a ball amid major confusion as the first round game against neighbouring rivals Westmeath at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Saturday last was postponed due to the frosty conditions.

The small attendance that gathered for the pre-season fixture were greeted with the news that the referee, Kevin Williamson from Offaly, deemed that the pitch was unplayable with particular emphasis on the goalmouth at the town end of the ground which was described by one of the match officials as ‘rock concrete.’

As per competition regulation, to the disappointment of the home county, Leinster GAA ruled (apparently on a coin toss) that Westmeath advanced to the O'Byrne Cup quarter-final and their subsequent win over the Leinster champions Louth in Mullingar on Wednesday night.

Longford will now enter the consolation O'Byrne Shield at the semi-final stage away to Wicklow at the Bray Emmets GAA grounds this Saturday (2pm throw-in) following the narrow 2-11 to 1-12 defeat for the Garden County against Meath in Aughrim last weekend. Carlow and Laois clash in the other semi-final.

Longford were set to start with four senior debutants against Westmeath, notably Ronan Bleakley (Dromard), Oisin Kenny (Rathcline), Liam Glennon (Carrickedmond) and Matthew Flynn (Clonguish), in the build up to the start of the National League Division 4 campaign away to Waterford in Dungarvan on Saturday January 24th.

There will be a whole lot more at stake when Longford and Westmeath meet again in the opening round of the Leinster Championship at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park in April.

The squad selected to line-out against Westmeath in the O’Byrne Cup was as follows:

LONGFORD: Eoin McGuinness (Slashers); Patrick Fox (Mullinalaghta), Ronan Bleakley (Dromard), Bryan Masterson (Abbeylara); Peter Lynn (Slashers), Dessie Reynolds (Sean Connolly’s), Oisin Kenny (Rathcline); Liam Glennon (Carrickedmond), Oisin O’Toole (Dromard); Matthew Flynn (Clonguish), Matthew Carey (Clonguish), James Moran (Killoe); Paddy Moran (Killoe), Cathal McCabe (Colmcille), Oran Kenny (Rathcline).

Subs:- Oisin McManus (Killoe)

Iarla O’Sullivan (Rathcline)

Cian Brady (Abbeylara)

Niall Farrelly (Killoe)

Harry Kiernan (Granard)

Caolan Lynch (Abbeylara)

Dylan Farrell (St Brigid’s Killashee)

Paddy Mollaghan (St Brigid’s Killashee)

Jayson Matthews (Mullinalaghta)

Daire O’Brien (Slashers)

Ryan Moffett (Killoe) was listed to start at left-half-back but he was unable to play due to illness.