Rampant Longford Slashers far too strong for Clonguish Gaels

Longford Slashers . . . 3-25 Clonguish Gaels . . . 0-4

The reigning county senior hurling champions Longford Slashers began the defence of the Duignan Cup with a comprehensive victory over Clonguish Gaels at C & D Devine Park in Edgeworthstown on Saturday evening last.

Paddy Crossan opened the scoring with a point on five minutes for Clonguish but Slashers replied with an unanswered 1-04 by the thirteenth minute to go six points ahead.

Reuben Murray slotted over two frees with Sean Tiernan and Niall Hawes also splitting the uprights. The Slashers goal came on thirteen minutes.

The impressive John Murray rose highest about seventy metres out from goal to catch the sliotar and as he hit the ground running, he delivered a superb long pass to Micheal Mulcahy who turned his marker and then blasted a diagonal shot from the right past Clonguish keeper Jack Nertney to the bottom left corner of the net.

Stephen Gregg responded by converting two frees for Clonguish only for Slashers to embark on another scoring spree as they tallied 1-03 without reply in a four-minute spell between the eighteenth and twenty-first minutes.

The Tiernan/ Mulcahy combination play was causing numerous problems for the Newtownforbes outfit and Mulcahy added two points from excellent Tiernan hand passes, while Tiernan slotted over Slasher’s seventh point.

In between the Mulcahy brace and the Tiernan point, the county champions scored their second goal with the majestic John Murray again superbly setting up the goal which was cleverly finished to the net by Niall Hawes lobbing the advancing keeper Nertney to raise the green flag.

Stephen Gregg scored the fourth and final point for Clonguish with another free, but three points from Reuben Murray (one free) , a point from Mulcahy, and a point each for the two Hawes brothers gave the county champions a comfortable fifteen-point lead at the interval, as they were ahead by 2-13 to 0-04.

The second-half was equally a one-sided affair with Clonguish being held scoreless in the second-half while Longford Slashers scored 1-12.

Reuben Murray added 1-01, Matthew Hawes registered five points, Ronan Kenny scored three points, with other substitutes Johnny Casey and Stephen Murray firing over a point each. Midfielder Harry Mulvihill also slotted over a point, as the county champions ran out comprehensive winners.

LONGFORD SLASHERS: Adam Murray, Kealan Cox, Stephen Oates, Darryl Swaris, Ronan Kelly, Daire Regan, John Murray, Reuben Murray (1-06, 3 f’s), Harry Mulvihill (0-01), Matthew Hawes (0-06), Darragh Caslin, Ronan O’Halloran, Niall Hawes (1-02) , Micheal Mulcahy (1-03), Sean Tiernan (0-02).

Subs:- Johnny Casey (0-01) for Niall Hawes, Ronan Kenny (0-03) for O’Halloran, Stephen Murray (0-01) for Tiernan (all half-time), Diarmuid Caslin for John Murray (42 minutes), Gary Hand for Kelly (48 minutes).

CL0NGUISH GAELS: Jack Nertney, Pádraig McGuinnes, Oisin Gately, Eoin Halpin, Mel O’Brien, Gerard Moore, Jim Crossan, Declan Lee, Eanna Madden, Patrick Crossan (0-01), Dan Crossan, Brian Brady, David Gregg, Stephen Gregg (0-03, 3f’s), Cathal McGlynn.

Subs:- Eoghan Kiernan for Jim Crossan (half-time), Ryan Britton for McGuinness (46 minutes), Evan Buckley for Brady (55 minutes).

Referee: James Clarke (Cavan).