Longford Town slip up in losing out to Kerry FC

Longford Town . . . 0 Kerry FC . . . 1

Kerry FC moved into fourth place in the SSE Airtricity First Division table with their first ever away victory over the midlanders as Cian Murphy headed home the only goal of the game to give the Kingdom a vital victory, a result that sees Longford Town FC drop down to sixth in the First Division league table

There was a lot at stake at Bishopsgate on Saturday night in such a tight battle to make it through to the promotion play-offs and the visitors had the first attempt on goal in the sixth minute when a low, crisp, twenty-five yard shot from Cian Bargarry was well saved by the Town keeper Kian Moore.

On the half hour mark, Longford winger James Bailey hit a shot from just outside the box that was straight at the Kerry keeper Matthew Connor.

Two minutes later, Kerry’s Sean McGrath turned Longford midfielder Aaron Doran only to shoot straight at Town keeper Moore.

The best chance of the first half came on thirty-four minutes and it was a lucky escape for Longford Town as Kerry hit the woodwork. Bargarry cut in from the right and ran along the end-line before delivering a low ball into the Town six-yard box which resulted in Cian Murphy’s lunging shot coming back off the far post.

In first half injury time, the visitors came close again and this time Longford keeper Moore made a brilliant save from Niall Brookwell’s shot on the turn from twelve yards out on the right.

On sixty-six minutes an Alex O’Brien cross from the right was headed wide by Town winger James Bailey but Longford’s best chance of the game arrived four minutes later when Kerry keeper Connor produced a stunning save from Jake Hough’s low diagonal shot from inside the box fifteen yards out on the left.

Bailey came close for the home side in the seventy-second minute when his twenty-five-yard shot curled narrowly wide of the far post.

Kerry hit the front on seventy-six minutes when an Ewan Lee cross from the left was brilliantly headed home by the inrushing Cian Murphy.

The visitors should have gone two-up on eighty-two minutes with Lee to the fore again. This time his excellent curling cross resulted in centre-half Jonas Häkkinen’s close range header being brilliantly saved by Longford keeper Moore.

The Town responded with a chance just two minutes later when centre-half Cole Omorehioman found himself inside the Kerry box but his shot on the turn was saved by Connor.

The Kerry defence stood firm to secure all three precious points to move into the promotion play-offs situation with the Town dropping outside of the play-off places with six games remaining.

LONGFORD TOWN (4-2-3-1): Kian Moore, O’Brien, Omorehiomwan, McCarthy, Hough, Adenekan, Paraschiv, Ugbesia, Doran, Bailey, Williams.

Substitutes:- Manuel for Williams (64 minutes), Harris for Adenekan (86 minutes), Campbell for Ugbesia (88 minutes).

KERRY FC (4-1-2-3): Connor, O’Connell, Häkkinen, Brookwell, Aladesanusi, Lee, McGrath, Borden, Perez, Murphy, Bargary.

Substitutes: Keane for Perez and Arran Healy for McGrath (both 77 minutes), Brosnan for Bargary (85 minutes).

Referee: Daryl Carolan.