Longford Football (& Hurling) Thread

[North Longford]

Jesus lads are there no secrets left in the world

Billy I wouldn't totally blame Tony on that one.

Gortnaleck you certainly weren't on your own on Tuesday night. We were sorry we didn't charge a small entrance fee at one stage.
There was a rumour most of the Dromard panel were there as well!!!
Tony is actually very good. He's an Ulster coach and doesn't really do the club thing any more. We had him once before the semi just to vary things a bit and he said if we won he'd come back. So true to his word he did. He is very passionate about football and if that alone rubbed off on our lads it would be worth while. At the end of the day the winnig of it will come down to the 15 - 20 on the day but true enough they are going well in training(although believe or not there was about 5 of the first 15 missing with injuries Tuesday night)....... unforetuneately trainnig  is a million miles from what is involved in playing a county final....whats that old saying.....it will all come down to who performs on the day. Dromard have done it before and the last time Colmcille played a county final most of this team weren't even teenagers so you can never tell.

[Billys Boots]

There was a rumour most of the Dromard panel were there as well!!!

We're they wearing disguises, or peeping across hedges, as is their wont?

[Shamrock Shore]

North Longford (the area, not the poster) will not do a clean sweep of titles this year as the Junior final is between Eggistown and Ardagh.

This the the curtain raiser for Mullinyarta v Kayna.

(I am in 'crumbs of comfort' mode this morning)

[North Longford]

We're they wearing disguises, or peeping across hedges, as is their wont?

Now billy respect for our good neighbours.
They were merely mingling in the crowd...allegedly.
Funniest thing about Tuesday was the fact that Gowna have erected an electric fence (on top of the original fence) along one side of the new pitch and how it nabbed a few unsuspecting Colmcille/Gowna men who tried to cross it.
We're lucky we're not down about 3 men for the county final, indeed one of our Goalkeepers was just warned in time!!!

[LaurelEye]

We're they wearing disguises, or peeping across hedges, as is their wont?

Funniest thing about Tuesday was the fact that Gowna have erected an electric fence (on top of the original fence) along one side of the new pitch and how it nabbed a few unsuspecting Colmcille/Gowna men who tried to cross it.

I'm sure there could be a couple of Scr*bby jokes made at this point, but I'll be charitable to the lower end of the parish...

Hope Gortnaleck is enjoying the holiday. We've already had one returnee from Australia for the build-up to the final so San Francisco is only a short hop by comparison.

[LaurelEye]

Hmmm. We seem to have been given the kiss of death by Podgie O'Brien:

Mullinalaghta face a tough task against Kenagh.
Preview: Padraic O'Brien.

After crashing to a heavy defeat against a strong Ardagh side in last year's decider and who also suffered the bitter disappointment of losing out to the Granard second string in the 2002 Intermediate Championship Final, the Kenagh footballers will be hoping for better luck when they battle it out with Mullinalaghta for the Gerry Hennessy Memorial Cup at Pearse Park on Sunday next.

On the evidence of the recent semi-finals, there should be little separating the sides and while St. Columba's were fancied to claim the Intermediate title at the start of the campaign the manner in which they struggled to overcome Killashee by a solitary point would suggest that they face another tough battle and will need to improve to achieve another success in this grade.

Kenagh, on the other hand, had six points to spare over Carrickedmond to reach the final for the second year on the trot but it was late in the game that they eventually made victory safe with a goal from their chief marksman Gary Murphy who also fired over seven points in his outstanding display.

Murphy registered another 1-7 in the draw against Killashee in the group stage and while he will take some stopping, it will come as no surprise if Mullinalaghta move regular Longford defender Shane Mulligan from midfield in a bid to contain the threat of the Kenagh dangerman.

With free-taker Paddy Ganley returning from injury to feature in the semi-final, Kenagh now have other options in attack with Shane Doyle and Enda McGann also capable of making a considerable impact up front which all depends on a decent supply of the ball.

Although the south Longford outfit will be minus suspended midfielder Jeffrey Hall, who received a straight red card in the Carrickedmond game, the prominent half-back-line of Sean Canavan, Ronan Carberry and Colin Murtagh are well capable of setting up the attacks as was the case in the semi-final.

This key Kenagh trio are a tight unit and will certainly make it tough for the St. Columba's half-forward-line, likely to be led by the experienced Dermot McCabe who will be hoping to make the most of his physical strength to create the space for the other members of the attack.

However, the main man up front for Mullinalaghta is unquestionably Kevin Mulligan who played for the Longford seniors in the short championship campaign this year and is obviously a potential matchwinner. After having a quiet game by his high standards against Killashee the last day, Kevin will be anxious to produce the goods when it matters most and will prove difficult to contain.

Another threat to the Kenagh defence is county minor Donal McElligott, who is deadly accurate from frees, while his brothers Ruairi (capable of gaining the upper hand at midfield) and Conor at centre-half-back are also expected to be much to the fore on the Mullinalaghta team.

If the Mulligan brothers Kevin and Shane can produce the sort of form that has been good enough to command places on the county team then the indications are that St. Columba's can win the Intermediate title for the first time since 2000 but it will be a close call.

After losing the 2002 and 2006 finals, Kenagh will be hoping that a third time lucky scenario materialises in the big game on Sunday and they will make a very determined bid to win this championship for the first time since 1983.

PREDICTION:
Mullinalaghta St. Columba's.

http://longfordtoday.ie/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=2628&ArticleID=3215920

Best of luck to Mostrim in the Junior match beforehand.

[Billys Boots]

Come on the half-parish!!! 

[Shamrock Shore]

When writing about Kevin Mulligan Podgie obviously was thinking of The Gooch.

Ok - here's the perfect result:

Senior winners: Colmcille
Intermediate winners:  St. Columbas
Junior winners: Mostrim

Not so sure who is in the minor final but the three above will keep all Longford posters (not so sure about The Forfeit Point) happy.

[North Longford]

Best of luck to our near neighbours in the intermediate final and also to our colour bearers in the junior.
I heard yesterday that the great James Keegan is injured and may no play. That should come as a relief to anyone who might come within striking distance...referees included.
Just a question for the Mostrim lads. Would there not be a few lads on the junior team that should be good enough for your senior team or I am living in the past?

[Billys Boots]

I heard yesterday that the great James Keegan is injured and may no play.

Jaysus, that brings back (not very pleasant) memories - I guess he's served his, ahem, suspension. 

[Shamrock Shore]

I spose you could say that NL. Most are veterns but Hussey, Leinster minor meggle winner, is back after a long lay off with a shaulder injury, and was allowed play junior. I dunno these things work to be honest.

Keegan will be a loss to Ardagh. 22 years since our famous 3 matches in the senoir decider. Now we are scrabbling over a f**king junior title.

[Shamrock Shore]

A fine win for Mostrim.

Mullinyarta and Kayna drew. Obligatory row after match in tunnel.

Crayonman on hand to record the evidence via digital camera. Got squirted with water for his trouble 

[LaurelEye]

A fine win for Mostrim.

Mullinyarta and Kayna drew.

Congratulations to Edgytown. Family circumstances meant I only arrived in Pearse Park after the Junior match had ended.

Fortunate to escape with the draw in the end, after having been 1-9 to 0-4 up early on in the second half. Dónal McElligott converted a pressure free in the last minute of time to draw the match. Kenagh kicked a fiasco of a penalty - anything in the half-time children's match would have been better-kicked - which saved our bacon.

Obligatory row after match in tunnel. Crayonman on hand to record the evidence via digital camera. Got squirted with water for his trouble 

[Shamrock Shore]

Liam Tierney got the hump on Shannonside when the main commentator which may have been Dromard's Flake was recalling Mullinalaghta's glory days in the 40s. "Shure you will recall them Liam" sez he. "I wasn't even born" grumped Tierney.

Auld Shore will have regretted missing the row in the tunnel. In the olden days he started/caused a few of them himself. But the old meandering run from the old dressing rooms in Pearse Park to the pitch (almost via Newtownforbes) meant the row had to be very serious to make it back to the dressing rooms.

[LaurelEye]

Incidentally, the good wishes sign from Colmcille on the road at Aughagreagh was noted and appreciated.

We wish you a better outcome next Sunday