Longford Football (& Hurling) Thread

[LaurelEye]

The oul crayonese isn't the fun it used to be at all

It still has its moments:

the year Luke Dempsey's men wove, not a thread but, a rope of confidence through the heart of Longford football

a tumultous year for all with a sky blue hue north west of the pale

[Shamrock Shore]

the year Luke Dempsey's men wove, not a thread but, a rope of confidence through the heart of Longford football

Brilliant 

[Billys Boots]

I always though Meath was northwest of the pale.

[North Longford]

Any word on the county senior panel for the new year. Is there likely to be any additions/ommissions from last years squad?

[Billys Boots]

I believe Podgie and GGF are training, though how much further this will progress is anyone's guess.  I'd only expect the new young guns from Killoe, Slashers and Swampies to make any impact on the panel, if not the team.

[LaurelEye]

Hastings Cup (Under-21)

Longford 1-10 Leitrim 1-5

An understrength Longford team (missing most of the eligible Senior players) drew away from Leitrim in the second half after having been level at half time. Good performances from Bernard McElvaney, Paul Kelly and Colin Smith. Emlyn Mulligan (cousin of Longford players Shane and Kevin Mulligan) got almost all of Leitrim's scores.

No programme for the €10 entrance fee, but from memory the Longford team was:

Cillian Burns (Killoe); Pádraig McGrath (Carrickedmond?), Diarmuid Masterson (Dromard), Kevin Moran (Carrickedmond); Gerard Melia (Cashel), Mark Duffy (Fr Manning Gaels), Paul Kelly (Longford Slashers); Joe McCormack (Killoe), Bernard McElvaney (Ballymore); Gerard Dennigan (Cashel), Peter Foy (Cashel), Aidan Rowan (Cashel); Enda Gallagher (Fr Manning Gaels), Colin Smith (Longford Slashers), Shane Doyle (Kenagh).

Subs: James Hanley (Rathcline) for Melia, Jody Connolly (Granard) for McGrath, Niall Mulligan (Longford Slashers) Kiernan (Fr Manning Gaels) for Rowan.

[LaurelEye]

O'Byrne Cup

Longford 0-14 DIT 2-9

Longford were seriously understrength for this one and while they might have sneaked a win, they could equally have been beaten by more, with Damien Sheridan having to make a few good saves. Podgie Davis made his return at corner-forward and was the main scorer for Longford, getting about 9 or 10 points, the majority of them from frees. The rest of the forward line would be relatively new, but to be honest they weren't delivered enough ball to be able to make too much of an impact. The worries for Longford were in the defence and at midfield, where they had more of their first choices available but were seriously outclassed by the DIT forwards at times.

Longford: Damien Sheridan (Dromard); Dermot Brady (Longford Slashers), Barry Gilleran (Longford Slashers), Cathal Conefrey (Dromard, 0-1); Noel Farrell (Colmcille), David Mitchell (Rochfortbridge), Declan "County" Reilly (Colmcille); Bernard McElvaney (Ballymore), Liam Keenan (Ardagh, 0-1); Paul O'Hara (Killoe), Trevor Smullen (Ballymahon, 0-1), Peter Foy (Cashel); Declan Farrell (Colmcille), Kevin Mulligan (Mullinalaghta, 0-2), Padraic Davis (Fr Manning Gaels, 0-9).

Subs: Diarmuid Masterson (Dromard) for Gilleran; Declan "not the County" Reilly (Colmcille) for McElvaney; Padraig Berry (Abbeylara) for Declan "County" Reilly, David Blessington (Granard) for Mitchell.

I suppose we can now embark on our defence of the O'Byrne Shield 

[Billys Boots]

So the Declan Reilly nomenclature issue has commenced.  Just as well something has commenced, I suppose.

[LaurelEye]

So the Declan Reilly nomenclature issue has commenced.  Just as well something has commenced, I suppose.

The Indo refers to Declan "County" (Cornadrung) as Declan "G" Reilly, while referring to the "new" Declan Reilly as simply "Declan Reilly", which may be a bit confusing for the casual observer.

[Billys Boots]

Is there not also a Declan 'Back of the Hill' Reilly that played for Colmcille recently too?  NL?

[North Longford]

Is there not also a Declan 'Back of the hill' Reilly

What hill would that be Billy!?!?? Don't recall to be honest but there was a recent U16 of the same name but don't think he'll be worrying the Longford Leader or Shannon Side too much!!
Although both the current gents live on hills to a greater or less extent so depending on where you were standing you could dubiously refer to eiter as back of the hill.
The flake took to using the townlands on Shannon Side yesterday which will work pretty well for the locals but may not bring much clarity to the residents of other parts of Longford.
Locally the new man is very well known as Stouty (family thing, nothing to do with his girth), or sometimes Freddie (due to his similarity to to the Arsenal player of the same name) while 'the county' could be known as Booster (family thing) or Boozer (more his brothers fault, sounds a bit like booster but has a more appropriate meaning) or little Dec for obvious enough reasons but due to the reverence shown to him in the locallity if somebody mentions 'Deco' then its general accepted who they are talking about (despite the high number of young men who have been christened Declan in the area). Its worth noting that 3 of the Colmcilles that played yeserday were named Declan.!
Bit sorry I didn't name one of the young fella's Declan now when I think of it. Appears it would have significantly increased the chances of getting a county footballer out of them!

[North Longford]

Anyone know where Declan 'stouty' played when he came on on Sunday and how did he get on.
See P O'Brien in the Laeder reckons Noel Farrel was excellent............is far better at wing back then where he's been played before but then I suppose we have plenty of wing backs.

[Billys Boots]

P O'Brien in the Laeder reckons Noel Farrel was excellent

I have a feeling he might be a very good CHB too, has the height and the pace, and is an intelligent footballer.

[North Longford]

Totally agree Billy although I think the extra space on the wing suits him even better with his pace and fitness.
Was a bit disappointed what they went for last Sunaday at full back. For me thats never going to work and its now we should be working to get a replacement

[LaurelEye]

Was a bit disappointed what they went for last Sunaday at full back. For me thats never going to work and its now we should be working to get a replacement

You would have thought that that lesson had been learnt in Killarney.