Longford Football (& Hurling) Thread

[North Longford]

I see the Longford GAA site has Declan Reilly and Dermot Brady swapping positions. Think although he's probably capable of marking anyone thats a waste of Declan Reilly. His biggest attributes are going forward.

[LaurelEye]

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.

[Billys Boots]

Why are both Mulligan and Deccie Reilly on the 'wrong' wings?  Bizarre.

[LaurelEye]

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.

[Shamrock Shore]

There was I thinking Radio Laureleye was more interested in Roscommon Ladies Junior B team's training joust rather than the game in hand, ala Radio Roscommonside.

Laurel should set up a special Paypal account so that we can contribute towards his phone bill.

Shamrock Shore senior reckoned Longford were lucky to get a draw. Offaly missed 2-04 or so in the second half. Worrying times for Longford and last year may have been a case of 'dead cat bounce'.

Who's up next? I am Cavan bound next weekend and could scrape in a game if's it's handy.

(edit) I see it's Laytrum in 2 week's time. Period in Cavan dominated so by a swin in the cauldest swimming pool in Ireland in Bailieboro. Nads on temperature alert.
 

[LaurelEye]

Who's up next? I am Cavan bound next weekend and could scrape in a game if's it's handy.

(edit) I see it's Laytrum in 2 week's time. Period in Cavan dominated so by a swin in the cauldest swimming pool in Ireland in Bailieboro. Nads on temperature alert.

The under-21s are playing on Sunday in the revamped Páirc Ceauşescu, An Tulach Mór. Hopefully the toilets have been revamped as well. I remember the Ladies' getting a rave review the time of the Carla game in 2004.

Sligo IT - featuring Ballymore's Bernard "McElvanna", Mullinalaghta's Shane Mulligan and his Laythrum cousin - are playing on Friday and Saturday just up the road in Belfast.

And of course the Longford domestic season begins with a highly-contested and charged Division 6 encounter between Mullinalaghta and Colmcille in the Laurels on Saturday afternoon.  Beware of ticket touts at that one.

[Billys Boots]

Shamrock Shore senior reckoned Longford were lucky to get a draw.

We must have been robbed so.   

Must pick up me ticket for the Laurels on Ebay! 

[fearglasmor]

Two great goals by Longford in the first half. The net mending after the first was gas. But 15 scores to 11 was maybe a fairer reflection of the game, Offaly should have had 2 more goals in the first half. But credit to Longford backs for keeping the three pointers out in the second half

[LaurelEye]

The net mending after the first was gas.

That was an example of the hands-on approach of our County Chairman.

Though I thought the second ladder was a bit of overkill.

[North Longford]

Couldn't get in to the park yesterday.
I believe from Flakeside that were was a nice crowd.
Anyone stand out for us. How did Hannify get on? Who went to midfield when Mc Elvaney went off? and how did we do in this area.
I see a couple of Offaly forwards got big enough scores. Were some of  the backs struggling?

[Longfordian]

Hannify played very well ....pulled two great catchs out of the air and was solid enough in defence .....

Both our wing half backs were roasted IMO .... Coughlan in particular ate Brady for pace and was the main reason that carved out 4 great goal chances in first half ......

We seemed to struggle with the size of the Offally FF line ....and they dominated us in the second half .....

Offally took some fantastic scores in the 2nd half ........ they also shot a couple of bad wides which could have wono them he match ...

Just a word on the referee ....I dont know they must be now getting directives from HQ to cut down on persistant fouling ...but any foul at all was a ticking .... a 2nd one was a yellow .....some very soft yellow cards given to both teams ......

Paul Barden went to midfield in 2nd half ...Smyth went CHF ...... Smullen to WHF and McGEE came into the corner ..... took his goal well ....but lifted it clean off the ground ......

[LaurelEye]

Shamrock Shore senior reckoned Longford were lucky to get a draw. Offaly missed 2-04 or so in the second half. Worrying times for Longford and last year may have been a case of 'dead cat bounce'.

It was very poor stuff alright, but then the cat was hardly looking too healthy last year either right up until the Dublin match so nil desperandum, Shamrock.

Both our wing half backs were roasted IMO .... Coughlan in particular ate Brady for pace and was the main reason that carved out 4 great goal chances in first half ......

Maybe I'm looking at it through maroon-coloured glasses but I thought our lad did well - you can always rely on him for a gutsy performance.

[Billys Boots]

It was very poor stuff alright

I wouldn't be worrying too much about that right now, if we weren't winning our fair share of possession in the middle third I would be very worried indeed.  And of course the fullback line is always a source of worry - Deccie is not a corner back, but I'd have hoped that young Brady would have developed into a consumate performer at this stage (he can't have lost pace at the age of 24-25, can he?).  If Hannify's coming good ( ), it looks like the first choice HB line will be Mulligan, Hannify, Reilly - maybe there's place for Noel Farrell in one of the corners, though he'd be playing out of position again. 

Did I see that McElvaney is hurt?  Is the midfield clicking OK at the moment?

[LaurelEye]

Did I see that McElvaney is hurt?

Shoulder injury is what I heard but I don't know how serious it is.

[LaurelEye]

Under-21 team for match v Offaly in Tullamore, Sun @ 3pm:

Killian Burns (Killoe); Kevin Moran (Carrickedmond), Diarmuid Masterson (Dromard), Shane Cox (Legan); Paul Kelly (Longford Slashers), Joe McCormack (Killoe), Aidan Rowan (Cashel); Gerard Dennigan (Cashel), Bernard McElvaney (Ballymore); Peter Foy (Cashel), Colm Flynn (Ballymahon), Pádraig Berry (Abbeylara); Enda Gallagher (Fr Manning Gaels), Brian Kavanagh (Ardagh), Seán McCormack (Killoe).