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[Longford 3-8 Offaly 1-14]

Apologies to any listeners to Radio Laureleye who found themselves without a broadcast this afternoon, due to the management of Radio Laureleye forgetting to top up.

Further apologies to any sensitive listeners from Colmcille who may be allergic to onion bags and other gems of Flakese.

Report from Shannonside:

Longford 3-8 Offaly 1-14

Longford collected one point of the two on offer in Pearse Park today in the Allianz National Football League Division 2A between themselves and Offaly. This was a rip-roaring encounter between two teams who were totally committed to the cause.

The first half saw Longford lead from the 7th minute when Brian Kavanagh literally ripped the net with a goal, Longford's first score. Offaly had opened the scoring just a minute earlier through a James Coughlan point. Paul Barden made it 1-1 to 0-1 before Niall McNamee and a Ken Casey free kept Offaly in touch with points in the 16th and 17th minutes. But it was end-to-end stuff, and Kavanagh scored two excellent points for Longford in the 20th and 22nd minutes. Thomas Deehan kicked the first of his four points, but this was cancelled out by a Pádraic Davis free. 1-4 to 0-4. Then came the score of the game: a magnificent goal from Paul Barden on 30 minutes. He sent a rocket to the net as he cut in from the right wing, having received the ball on the 45-metre line and let fly from about 20 metres. 2-4 to 0-4 and looking good for Longford. But Offaly are not known for their battling qualities for nothing, and Niall McNamee with a free, and Neville Coughlan from play, kept the margin manageable. Trevor Smullen pointed twice for Longford in injury time, and it looked as if Longford would have a six-point cushion at half time. Not to be. Offaly piled on the pressure, and despite the home side's protestations, Alan McNamee finished to the net from close range after receiving from Deehan, who had allegedly picked the ball off the ground. Half time: Longford 2-6 Offaly 1-6.

Pádraic Davis kicked a free in the first minute of the second period, but three Offaly points between the 2nd and 4th minutes left Longford ahead by one. The home side were hanging in over the next five minutes and chances went a-begging for both sides. But when Longford sub Francis McGee rattled the onion-bag for Longford's third goal, the home crowd would have been forgiven for thinking it was going to be their day. But again Offaly refused to buckle, and Niall McNamee kept them in it with two points. And while Francis McGee pointed again on the 57th minute for Longford's last score and put three in it to make it 3-8 to 1-11, but Offaly did get the last three points, two from the accurate McNamee and one from Deehan - and indeed they had a couple of chances to win it, but Longford backs held on, with Cathal Conefrey and Shane Mulligan particularly impressive in that department. But it was a real team effort from both sides, and a draw was probably the fairest result. Full time score from Pearse Park: Longford 3-8 Offaly 1-14.

LONGFORD: Damien Sheridan (capt); Declan C Reilly, Diarmuid Masterson, Cathal Conefrey; Dermot Brady, David Hannify, Shane Mulligan; Bernard McElvaney, Liam Keenan; Kevin Smyth, Paul Barden (1-1), Pádraig Berry; Trevor Smullen (0-2), Pádraic Davis (0-2 frees), Brian Kavanagh (1-2).

Substitutes: Francis McGee (1-1) for McElvaney (inj.), David Blessington for Masterson, Arthur O'Connor for Berry.

Paddypastit - is that our old friend Dion Fanning again? It's embarrassing to find oneself on the same side of the GPA argument as a gobshite like that, especially when it's for entirely the opposite reasons.

Looks to be Éamonn Sweeney.

[need]

He is one of a minority whose football career has actually enhanced his earning potential.

Less of the poor mouth, please.

I can't understand your use of the phrase 'poor mouth'.

The implication of your statement is that the majority of players are suffering financially from playing inter-county football, or are at best deriving no benefit from it. I heard the same refrain often enough last year from GPA spokesbods, and it gets tiresome.

I don't believe the statement is true from what I see around me.

It strikes me that most county footballers get pretty well looked after now by county boards in terms of kit, expenses, holidays, etc., and there are none that I'm aware of that are on the breadline. The celebrity of being a county footballer can take you a long way in business in terms of contacts, etc. Once you've gotten on the first step of the ladder, things can work out very well for you.

On the core point, can you honestly say that the players who have been looked after in this manner are in the majority?

To be fair, I think the majority of players wouldn't need to be looked after in that manner. They can get by under their own steam.

But I can think off the top of my head of fellas who were working as labourers or butcher's apprentices and who were miraculously transformed into sales reps with company cars once the county team started winning a few matches. I don't believe they'd have had those cars under their arses without their having been county footballers. As I said, I can think of none on the breadline.

He is one of a minority whose football career has actually enhanced his earning potential.

Less of the poor mouth, please.

I'd say most of us are well aware of inter-county players who have been fixed up by sponsors, managers, etc. with nice soft jobs that their abilities would never have gotten them in a million years.

Brady was certainly going far enough forward against Monaghan, although given that he was taken off shortly afterwards, I don't know if he was meant to be that far up the field.

Team for the Offaly match announced.

Three changes: David Hannify starts at centre-back in place of Enda Ledwith, Kevin Smyth replaces Paul O'Hara at wing-forward (both of these were brought on as substitutes against Monaghan), and Pádraic Davis starts in place of David Barden, who picked up an injury in training.

Damien Sheridan (Dromard, capt.); Dermot Brady (Longford Slashers), Diarmuid Masterson (Dromard), Cathal Conefrey (Dromard); Declan C Reilly (Colmcille), David Hannify (Fr Manning Gaels), Shane Mulligan (Mullinalaghta); Bernard McElvaney (Ballymore), Liam Keenan (Ardagh); Kevin Smyth (Abbeylara), Paul Barden (Clonguish), Trevor Smullen (Ballymahon); Pádraic Davis (Fr Manning Gaels), Brian Kavanagh (Ardagh), Pádraig Berry (Abbeylara).

I fondly remember boisterous lads referred to as 'knuicks' or 'heverils'.

Well a knuick was actually more of a cnut to be honest. Heveril was more of a lad.

"Haverel" to me implies someone fairly uncouth and uncultured as well as mouthy. I could name names but not if I ever wanted to go home again

From the dictionary:

http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50103293?single=1&query_type=word&queryword=haverel&first=1&max_to_show=10

'haverel

Sc. and north. dial.

Allso -al, -il, haivrel. [f. HAVER v.]

1. One who 'havers' or talks without sense.
a1818 MACNEILL Poems (1844) 105 Gley'd Sawnie, the haivrel. 1825 BROCKETT N.C. Gloss. s.v., 'Parfitly redicclous is that haveril there.' 1871 CARLYLE in Mrs. Carlyle's Lett. II. 103 Their only child 'Bett', a loud haveril of a lass.

2. attrib. or adj. Given to havering or foolish idle chattering.
a1774 FERGUSSON Drink Eclogue 90 Ye haveril Scot! 1785 BURNS Halloween 32 Poor hav'rel Will fell aff the drift. 1842 MRS. CARLYLE Lett. I. 176 A good-hearted, rattling, clever haveral sort of woman.

Wow, an informative report, whatever next?

The poor Flake still seems to be traumatised by last Saturday. No report on the Longford website yet.

[Late Longford rally insufficient]

http://www.longfordtoday.ie/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=2628&ArticleID=2049503

Late Longford rally insufficient

By Pádraig O'Brien

Longford left their best wine 'till last but still left St. Tighernach's Park, Clones last Saturday afternoon with a sour taste in their mouths after a see-saw NFL 2A clash with hosts Monaghan. In a slow-to-the-boil clash between arguably the division's two top heavyweights, the lack of a killer punch and some glaring inefficiencies in both camps made for a close and mostly exciting, if sub-standard, affair.

Longford trailed from pillar to post but a storming finish which included the bagging of two goals almost saw them gain an unlikely win but Monaghan nervously hung on to claim the spoils. At the final whistle, Longford players, mentors and fans vented their ire at referee Michael Daly (Mayo) who got a real frosty send-off on a bitterly cold afternoon. However it was complicity in their own downfall which, one suspects, was the real source of Longford's collective angst.

The visiting players left the field to a standing ovation from their large travelling support in the official attendance of 1,905. However a more forensic examination of the Longford display by their supporters suggests that a lot of work needs to be done by Luke Dempsey if a greater harvest is to be reaped in the weeks ahead. In truth, Longford were flattered by their losing margin and really only played in fits and starts over the 70 minutes-plus. Dempsey's charges were on the backfoot for a large majority of the first half and by the 21st minute were trailing by 0-2 to 1-7 with only a point from David Barden (5th) and one from Brian Kavanagh (9th) helping to keep the Ulstermen honest.

If Longford were labouring up front, their defence was creaking in a hesitant and rather lethargic first half display. A lack of physique and presence in the Longford defence was obvious and with a steady supply of ball heading their way from the cultured feet of Monaghan midfielder Paul Finlay and impressive centre-back Vincent Corey, the Longford rearguard was found wanting too often for the team's own good.

In that first half the Longford defenders showed themselves to be more adept at supporting their team's attacks than doing the basics of defending and when a poor fisted clearance by 'keeper Damien Sheridan was collected and finished to the net by Monaghan full-forward Damien Freeman, Longford's eight point deficit looked insurmountable. Ahead of the Longford defence, Bernard McElvaney and Liam Keenan looked ring-rusty and it wasn't until the second half that they managed to give as good as they got.

Longford went from the 9th to the 24th minutes without scoring but their third score was well worth waiting for and it couldn't have come at a better time. A splendid move involving Paul Barden, Trevor Smullen and Francis Magee ended with the Tommy Dowd-like Padraic Berry bustling through before flashing an unstoppable shot to the Monaghan net. Berry's blast reduced Longford's deficit to five points and hinted at a major turnaround in the balance of play.

Longford began to show greater movement, awareness and accuracy all around the field and Paul Barden looked like goaling in the 25th minute but at the last minute got a nudge from Vincent Corey which resulted in Barden rifling his shot over, instead of under, the bar. At the other end of the field, Declan C Reilly symbolised a greater tightening up of the Longford defence by effecting a brillant block just as Ciaran Hanratty was about to pull the trigger.

Trailing by 1-4 to 1-10 at the start of the second half, Longford needed to hit the ground running but, instead, Monaghan went eight points in front again within the opening six minutes. Playing a two-man full-forward line in David Barden and Paul Barden, Longford's poor foot passing over 40 yards, over-elaboration at the back and penchant for taking the wrong option in the last third of the field proceeded to bedevil their best efforts at eating into Monaghan's lead.

The third quarter saw the quality of play and the entertainment quotient plummet alarmingly as Monaghan seemed content to play a 'what we have, we hold' game. For their sins, the hosts invited Longford onto them and over the course of the last ten minutes of the match found themselves increasingly on the ropes.

Eventually Longford landed two haymakers which had Monaghan facing a standing count of eight. A converted penalty by Paul Barden in the 61st minute - after he himself was brought down - suddenly made it a five points game, 2-6 to 1-14. The momentum was now with Longford right and proper and when Bernard McElvaney rose highest to palm Paul Barden's 45 into the goal in the 67th minute, a Longford away win beckoned.

Sadly even allowing for three minutes of added-on time and two chances from placed balls for blue chip attackers heir Brian Kavanagh and sub. Padraic Davis, the visitors fell short of the target.

Monaghan: Shane Duffy; Donal Morgan, James Coyle, Dermot McArdle; Dessie Mone, Vincent Corey (0-1), John Paul Mone (0-1); Eoin Lennon, Paul Finlay (0-4, three frees, one 45); Ciaran Hanratty (0-2), Stephen Gollogly, Damian Freeman (1-1); Thomas Freeman (0-4, two frees), Shane Smith (0-1), Conor McManus.
Subs: Darren Hughes for John Paul Mone (69mins); Rory Woods for Thomas Freeman (73mins).

Longford: Damien Sheridan; Dermot Brady, Diarmuid Masterson, Cathal Conefrey; Declan C Reilly, Enda Ledwith, Shane Mulligan (0-1); Bernard McElvaney (1-1, one free), Liam Keenan; Paul O'Hara, Paul Barden (1-1), Trevor Smullen; David Barden (0-1), Brian Kavanagh (0-2, both frees), Padraic Berry (1-0).
Subs: Francis Magee for Paul O'Hara (16 mins); David Hannify for Enda Ledwith (32 mins); Noel Farrell for Dermot Brady (44 mins); Kevin Smith for Francis Magee (51 mins); Padraic Davis for David Barden (58 mins).

Referee: M. Daly (Mayo)

He's on the panel. I think the only match he's started so far was the one against DIT - he may have come on against Athlone but I wasn't at that match.

Beg pardon. I see it was the London match where he came on. How soon we forget I think he was OK in that match though nothing exceptional (but London would not have been much of a test). I'm actually surprised that they haven't made more use of him seeing as we're not exactly spoilt for choice in defence.

Huh?

David Mitchell (Rochfortbridge)

is Mitch playing for Longford now? And how is he still with the 'Bridge?

If you go back to the first few pages of this thread, I think this was discussed back in January

He's on the panel. I think the only match he's started so far was the one against DIT - he may have come on against Athlone but I wasn't at that match.

The justification is that his parents were living in Carrickedmond (between Edgeworthstown and Ballymahon) when he was born so he counts as being a Longford player, which allows him to still line out with Rochfortbridge.

[do]

How long did they need to look at McElvanney at midfield , the obvious change for me was taking him off and putting Hannify in for him ...Ledwitch was hard done by ..... McElvanney did get us the goal ....lucking IMO ...... but his marking was poor and contesting ball with one hand might work in Div 2 in Longford ....but not at intercounty level.....Finlay had a field day on him

I sorta made references to "idiosyncracies" there.

Lookit, you can get away with all sorts of things in Division 2 in Longford. You can get away with them for a while in inter-county football as well, but after a while things will catch up with you. The contrast between McElvaney and the likes of Shane Mulligan or Berry - who do put in the effort on the field - is getting to be a bit stark.

Masterson had a great game vs a very good Monaghan forward line.

Agreed. I was probably being unfair on him earlier.

Lads where is Paddy Dowd.
To me he is the other obvious midfield option and was very good last year when playing as a third midfielder

Still injured AFAIK.

Kavanagh was being hauled and dragged by the Monaghan number 4 without any action being taken by the referee until the end but seemed off-form anyway.

We never get much change from the ref in that kip anyway.  At least no-one was suspended this time.  Biffos in Pearse Park next in a fortnight?

Aye.

Well, we could have drawn it at the end but, equally, we could have been hammered today.

Monaghan were far the better team out there - not particularly classy, but fitter, stronger, more determined.

Goalkeeper - cost us the first goal by palming an incoming ball up into the air rather than catching it, saved us a couple of times, but generally needs to cut down on the showboating.

Full-back line - Masterson was the best of the three - at least he was the only reasonably solid one of them - but this area was a weak point for us last season and it still is. The other two had a very poor day at the office. Noel Farrell reasonable once he came on for Brady.

Half-back line - I may be accused of being biased but I thought Shane Mulligan was the best of the three here, but he needs to learn to control his temper. Enda Ledwith unable to catch a ball over his head and Hannify was a significant improvement when he came on for him. Little Dec poor today.

Midfield - very poor. Both liable to their usual idiosyncracies. McElvaney can say that he did manage to get the last goal from a goalmouth scramble, but it's worrying that there are no obvious backups at this position in case of any problems arising and that the trials didn't seem to uncover any. You could place Paul Barden here but only at the cost of weakening the attack.

Half-forward line - O'Hara not at the races and quickly replaced by McGee who didn't do much and who was eventually in turn replaced by Smyth who at least looks somewhat like the part. Smullen had to spend too much time in defence for the team's benefit but overall did more good than harm. Paul Barden was probably one of the two or three best Longford players on the field today and the only Longford forward who always looked dangerous.

Full-forward line - David Barden lost more ball than he got today. Berry rescued things early on with the goal, did a lot of foraging in a scrappy game and was probably the hardest worker on the team. Kavanagh was being hauled and dragged by the Monaghan number 4 without any action being taken by the referee until the end but seemed off-form anyway. Davis looked good when he came on but wasn't on for long enough to draw definite conclusions.

The amazing thing was that we managed to come back from 9 points down to 2, and that we could have drawn if Kavanagh had converted the first free and Davis hadn't tried to make a goal out of the second one, but for much of the game we looked shapeless and disorganised. A lot of work to be done for Sunday week.

Postscript 2: The jersey seems to have been re-designed since last week. The numbers on the back are now in gold instead of white, and there's a gold stripe on the shoulders along with the white ones. Looks a bit more like the business at least.