Longford SFC: Slashers cruise to easy win over Fr Manning Gaels
Peter Hanley Motors Senior Football Championship Group A - Round 3
Longford Slashers . . . 0-18 Fr Manning Gaels . . . 1-5
Needing a victory to keep alive their hopes of qualifying for the quarter-finals after losing against Mostrim and Killoe in the first two fixtures, Slashers were in control after building up a comfortable 0-10 to 0-5 lead at half-time.
A black card for substitute Stephen Donnelly just before the break was a blow for the Gaels and their tale of woe continued when Cian Cassidy was sent-off for a red card foul on Ronan Kenny in the 47th minute.
While Slashers squandered several chances during the course of the game with the Gaels keeper Aiden Grey producing a few point-blank saves, they still won by the wide margin of 12 points.
Paddy Collum scored a consolation goal for the Drumlish/Ballinamuck side when he converted a penalty in the 54th minute, awarded for a foul on Cian Brady.
Westmeath senior football boss Jack Cooney is a member of the Slashers management team and he was in Emmet Park to watch the sky-blues register their first win in the 2021 championship campaign.
LONGFORD SLASHERS: Eoin McGuinness; Ronan Kenny, Ronan Sheehan, Adrian Duffy; Sean Clarke (0-2), Gerard Flynn, Peter Lynn (0-3); Andrew Dalton (0-1), Tadhg McNevin (0-1); Andrew Kelly (0-2), Conor Clarke, Darragh O’Connell (0-2); Ruairi Clarke (0-1), Robbie O’Connell (0-3, one free), Robbie Clarke (0-2).
Subs:- Mario Pirlog for R Kenny (injured, 48 mins); Niall Mulligan for C Clarke (59 mins); Dean Coughlan for Ruairi Clarke (two minutes into stoppage time); Cian O Nuallain (0-1) for D O’Connell (three minutes into stoppage time).
FR MANNING GAELS: Aiden Grey; JP Farrelly, Cian Brady, Cian Murphy; Aaron McGee, Gary Connell, Mark Hughes; Liam Lynch, Sean Whelan; Ryan Crowe, Pauric Gill (0-2), Emmet Noonan; Cian Cassidy (0-2, one free), Paddy Collum (1-1, goal from penalty, point from free), Conor Keenan.
Subs:- Mark Duffy for S Whelan (28 mins); Stephen Donnelly for R Crowe (28 mins); Mark Breslin for A McGee (43 mins).
Referee: Aidan Dowler (Ardagh Moydow).