Promotion boost for Longford Town in excellent comeback win over UCD

Longford Town . . . 2 UCD . . . 1

Looking in big trouble at the break with UCD full value for their 1-0 lead, Longford Town FC showed a lot of character and courage to change the course of the game at Bishopsgate on Saturday night.

The smallest crowd of the season (estimated in the region of 300) watched the revitalised home side emerge with an excellent comeback win in a promotion boost as the midlanders moved up to fifth in the First Division table and into the play-off positions.

While the students were completely on top in the first half with their goal coming directly from a Ciaran Behan free-kick in the 22nd minute, it was a different story on the changeover with Dean Williams scoring the equaliser in the 62nd minute.

A brilliant strike from some distance by Williams flew past the helpless UCD keeper Dara Kavanagh into the back of the net, not long after the Town had a penalty claim turned down by the referee when Pharrell Manuel appeared to be fouled in the box.

While Longford were growing in confidence they had a very lucky escape in the 75th minute when substitute Killian Cailloce mis-kicked from a few yards out when he seemed certain to regain the lead for the visitors who are currently second in the table.

Then came the dramatic winning goal in the 78th minute when Daragh Murtagh hit the target from close range after connecting with a left wing cross from prominent defender Jake Hough.

It was a remarkable result considering the superiority enjoyed by UCD in the first half but Longford took their chances to snatch all three league points with a trip to the runaway leaders Cork City on Friday night next on the agenda.

LONGFORD TOWN: Kian Moore; Osaze Irhue, Jamie Egan, Taylor McCarthy, Jake Hough; Sultan Adenekan, Sean Moore; Pharrell Manuel, Daragh Murtagh, Andy Paraschiv; Dean Williams.

Subs:- Cole Omorehiomwan for Egan (first half stoppage time); Daniel McKenna for S Moore (56 mins); Stefan Ugbesia for Williams and Mark Canavan for Murtagh (both in the 83rd minute).

UCD: Dara Kavanagh; Eanna Clancy, Carl Lennox, Sean Murphy; Michael McCullagh, Louis Dignam, Thomas Morley, Adam Wells, Ciaran Behan; Hugh Smith, Stephen Mohan.

Subs:- Killian Cailloce for McCullagh and Luca Cailloce for Mohan (both in the 66th minute); Michael Raggett for Morley and Harry Curtis for Lennon (both in the 79th minute); Matthew Alonge for Murphy (83 mins).

Referee: Oisin Walsh.