Longford Football (& Hurling) Thread

[brokencrossbar1]

The ref Fahy, what is he like?

[Billys Boots]

The ref Fahy, what is he like?

If it's Derek Fahy you mean bc, he's fussy, tends to avoid letting play flow, if he can possibly find some technical fault.  Don't like to see him in charge of a game I'm watching, to be honest.

[brokencrossbar1]

The ref Fahy, what is he like?

If it's Derek Fahy you mean bc, he's fussy, tends to avoid letting play flow, if he can possibly find some technical fault.  Don't like to see him in charge of a game I'm watching, to be honest.

Great,  he got the Cross AI semi final against Drombroadford.  Expect a 5-4 game won by frees then

[Billys Boots]

Expect a 5-4 game won by frees then

Is that not the way all Crossmaglen matches end?  Bang ball in to Oisín, cue death scene in Swan Lake followed by 14-yd free in front of the posts.  Repeat ad nauseum to infinity.

[brokencrossbar1]

Expect a 5-4 game won by frees then

Is that not the way all Crossmaglen matches end?  Bang ball in to Oisín, cue death scene in Swan Lake followed by 14-yd free in front of the posts.  Repeat ad nauseum to infinity.

Watch yerself Boots, I know where you live (or at least where you work )

[LaurelEye]

Team vs. Cavan (supposedly):

Pat Farrell (Killashee); Dermot Brady (Longford Slashers), Arthur O'Connor (Abbeylara), Noel Farrell (Colmcille); Enda Williams (Clonguish), Diarmuid Masterson (Dromard), Shane Cox (Legan); Colm Flynn (Ballymahon), Kevin Mulligan (Mullinalaghta); Peter Foy (Cashel), Kevin Smyth (Abbeylara), David Morgan (Mostrim); Cian Mimnagh (Dromard), Francis McGee (Dromard), Pádraig Berry (Abbeylara).

[Billys Boots]

Cue carnage. 

[The Forfeit Point]

That day the Windie contingents were missing as well due to the tragic death of a teammate in a motorbike accident. This was, what, 2000 or so and Longford would have had a large Windie prescence in the team.

Anyhoo Longford won with a Niall Sheridan grubby goal in the last minute.

I still remember the feeling leaving Breffni. Walking on air.

Strange how little Longford victories can almost mean more than an All Ireland to a Kerryman.

could you maybe try and have a little respect for jimmy tully RIP 

[Billys Boots]

I don't think any disrespect was intended, and I can't see how any was inferred.

[The Forfeit Point]

well certainly disrespectful to the drumlish lads who were absent due to the tragic death of their life long friend and teammate. anytime ive heard windie bein used was in a derogaritive manner (ive used it myself!!) so what if they were missing for a friggin league match, there are some things far more important than football. i knew the late jimmy well, a great talent and a great lad RIP

[Shamrock Shore]

Jazes Forfeit point. Reel it in.

No disrespect was meant there. We all refer to the Drumlish/Ballinamuck lads as Windies in this thread as a nickname not as a derogatory label. Maybe the younger lads think that but for us 40+ yr olds it is just an age old way of referring to them.

However, if you are offended, I apologise.  No offence was meant.

My match report - 10 year ago!

February 14 1999
Cavan 1-11 Longford 2-11
Five minutes before kick off in this eagerly awaited match we felt like going home. How could Longford win this one? All of the Father Manning Gaels players decided as a mark of respect to Jimmy Tully, the Gaels' forward, to miss the match as Jimmy was killed in a motorcycle accident on the Friday night. We could not disagree with their decision. This meant that of the team announced the previous week, only six players would play in thier selected positions. Never before has a county team had to make such changes before a match. Longford couldn't win. They just couldn't.

However this is a different Longford team than the ones of old. The spirit of Wexford in 1998 and Westmeath in the league last year shows the character behind the lads. It was put up to them and they passed the Cavan test with flying colours. Never before have we witnessed such drama, action, anxiety and tension that we saw in this match. A crowd of approx. 5,000 came to watch - the majority from Cavan - curious to see what shape the team was after its implosion over the winter. They left knowing new manager Val Andrews has a lot of work to do.

The first fifteem minutes of the first half looked ominious for Longford. Cavan went into a three point lead without reply. Enda Barden pulled a couple back and we did sense at this stage that Longford would not be beaten easily. Points were traded but it was Cavan that went in at the half time interval with a three point lead (0-07 to 0-04).

The second half was nearly all Longford. The Keoghs and the Bardens were making hay and causing all sorts of trouble to the Cavan defenders. Niall Sheridan began to finally get into the match and began to field some excellent balls and won a number of frees. The first Longford goal was scored by Paul Barden with ten minutes gone. He sawed through the weak Cavan defence and buried it. Longford were now ahead for the first time. Cavan got their goal about 10 minutes later with some poor Longford marking on the left.

Tension was mounting. Players were being clocked off the ball and, in one bizzare incident, Down referree C. Broderick had to consult two linesmen and two umpires to see why a Longford player was flat out on the ground. Obviously he got 4 different versions of the event because he took no action. This held up the play for 5 minutes. Time was ticking away. Longford were now within one point. Then a pass split open the Cavan defence again and Niall Sheridan was all alone with the goalie to beat. Niall conspired to take the longest route to scoring a goal I have ever seen. The ball finally just trickled over the line to put Longford two points up and sent the Longford crowd wild with delight. Cavan tried a last few effors but it was Longford who had the final say with a Robbie Forbes point in the dying seconds.

This quote is true - a Longford man was heard to say after the match "This win meant more to me than the Leinster in 1968."

Those Longford people lucky enough to be at both occassions may or may not agree. But for me, who doesn't remember 1968, this was one of the sweetest victory ever - but perhaps the saddest one too for the Tully family in Drumlish and all the Father Manning Gaels players.

It would be unfair to single out any Longford players for special mention - so I won't. They were all magnificant.

Gavin Tonra
Cathal Conefry Donal Ledwith Brendan Burke
Enda Ledwith Mark Lennon Robbie Forbes (0-01)
Aidan Keogh and Enda Barden (0-05)
Terry Drake (0-01) Ciaran Keogh (0-01) Garret Johnson
Willie Skelly Niall Sheridan (1-00) Paul Barden (1-02)
Subs: Shane Carroll for Skelly, Maurice O'Connor for Johnson

[The Forfeit Point]

ok shamrock im relatively new to these boards wouldnt have realised that. whenver windies is used round our parts its generally preceded by "effin"!!

that was some win there today, have to hold my hands up in that i expected our boys to get a drubbin but credit where credit is due!! excellent defensively masterson was superb as was williams! berry made a big difference when he came in aswell.

[BallyhaiseMan]

congrats lads,
some performance to put in,with ye missing probably 10-12 first choice players,
Thought we had it once we went 0-9 to 1-05 up,then again never count out cavans ability to self destruct.
was impressed with
Diarmuid Masterson
Kevin Mulligan
Padraig Berry(when he came on)
Francis McGee,
and big Pauric Shanley.
Best of luck the rest of the year in league and championship lads.

[Shamrock Shore]

Have crossed over there as well Ballyhaise man!

Did many Cavan lads travel? Usually you'd see a good crowd - esp as it was quite handy to get to. Radio said 2,000 were there. Not a huge crowd.

[LaurelEye]

Have crossed over there as well Ballyhaise man!

Did many Cavan lads travel? Usually you'd see a good crowd - esp as it was quite handy to get to. Radio said 2,000 were there. Not a huge crowd.

I'd say the crowd was about half-and-half - it was mainly Cavan where I was. The newly extended stand was fairly full and there were a good many over on the hill.