Longford SFC: What a great achievement as Ardagh Moydow advance

Ardagh Moydow . . . 0-14 Rathcline . . . 1-11

Given little chance of making further progress in the 2026 Senior Football Championship, newly promoted Ardagh Moydow are through to the quarter-finals after producing a tremendous second half performance to snatch a draw against Rathcline in a dramatic finish at Michael Fay Park on Saturday evening.

Last year’s Intermediate champions were a bag of nerves in the first half in making numerous errors and it looked like a lost cause when they trailed by the wide margin of 9 points at the break, 1-8 to 0-2.

Already eliminated Rathcline showed a lot of spirit in their fierce desire for a first win in the group stage of the current Connolly Cup campaign with Shane Kenny and Bryn Peters giving them a decisive edge at centrefield while chief marksman Oran Kenny scored a well struck goal with 13 minutes gone in the first half.

But it was a much different story on the changeover with revitalised Ardagh Moydow outscoring the Lanesboro outfit on a most emphatic 0-12 to 0-3 scoreline with the dangerman Daryl Carrigy (0-3) firing over the equalising point in the third minute of stoppage time.

Promising minor Jamie Connor (shooting 0-6 including a couple of two pointers) also played a prominent role in this great achievement and there were scenes of pure joy for the Ardagh Moydow players and their loyal supporters when the news finally came through that Mullinalaghta had lost by a point against Abbeylara.

With the sides ending up deadlocked on four points apiece in the Group A table, Liam Keenan’s side knocked out the former kings of Longford club football on the head-to-head regulation in advancing to the last 8.

St Columba’s, on the other hand, are now pitched into the perils of the relegation play-offs against Carrickedmond and Rathcline with two of those under pressure clubs dropping down into the Intermediate Championship next season.

Ardagh Moydow now enter bonus territory with their senior status secured for another season and it was no more than the surprise-packets deserved for the exciting manner in which they have lit up the 2026 Connolly Cup.

ARDAGH MOYDOW: Cian O’Beirne; Mark McCord, Tommy Powell, Jack Gallagher; Diarmuid Farrell, James McGoey, Conor Carroll; Max Gallagher (0-1), Dylan Fay; Jamie Connor (0-6, brace of two-pointer frees, 1 free, 1 play), Dylan Coady (0-1), Connor Hogan (0-1); Paddy Hanley, Emmet Donlon, Daryl Carrigy (0-3).

Subs used:- Gerard Farrell for J McGoey (half-time); Eugene Murray for P Hanley (half-time); Killian Farrell (0-2, frees) for D Fay (45 mins).

RATHCLINE: David Mulvihill; Jakub Kajan, Harvey Myhill, Matthew Heneghan; Ultan O’Sullivan, David Rooney, Oisin Kenny; Shane Kenny (0-3, 1 two-pointer free), Bryn Peters (0-2); Niall Keane, Iarla O’Sullivan (0-1), Euan Cullen; Ryan Carberry, Oran Kenny (1-4, 2 frees), Ben Murphy (0-1).

Subs used:- (second half): Aaron Kenny and Dara Cox.

Referee: Michael Farrell (Ballymahon).

The other results in the final round of Group A:

Abbeylara 1-16 Mullinalaghta St Columba’s 1-15

Dromard 1-16 Killoe Emmet Og 1-14

The last 8 in the race for the Connolly Cup:

Abbeylara, Dromard, Killoe Emmet Og, Ardagh Moydow, Clonguish, Colmcille, St Mary’s Granard and Longford Slashers