Longford boosted by Cian Farrelly return as Enda Williams departs

Experienced Longford defender Enda Williams has traded in Cusack Park, Ennis for New York and will now be unavailable for Saturday’s qualifier game against Clare.

Williams came on as a 69th minute substitute in the 27-point defeat to Leinster champions Dublin but will not be involved in Saturday’s Round 2A qualifier match after departing for the US this week.

He started in the half-back line in the league final loss to Offaly, as he had done for much of the league campaign, although the 30-year-old played little more than a minute in the county’s three championship games.

Williams has been involved in the Longford set-up for almost ten years, either side of two seasons he spent with Leitrim for whom he qualified for under the parentage rule.

Longford are otherwise at full strength with corner back Cian Farrelly opting to return from the US having also left for New York following the Dublin massacre.

Farrelly started at corner back against both Offaly and Dublin, and despite missing the Carlow game he is expected to resume his role in the team for the trip to Ennis.

Meanwhile Louth will again be without three starters for the visit of Tipperary in Round 2B of the qualifiers on July 11th - Patrick Reilly and James Stewart have left for the US and Eoin O’Connor is out with a broken thumb.

The trio all missed out on last weekend's qualifier win over Leitrim, with Louth GAA confirming to The Irish Times that Reilly and Stewart departed for Chicago last week, while O'Connor missed out through injury.

The DCU Sigerson Cup winner had scored two points in the Leinster championship defeat to Westmeath and was likely to line out at midfield against Tipperary, but he will not have recovered in time to feature.

Reilly played in the half-forward line during his debut campaign last summer but lined out in the full-back line against Westmeath, while Stewart started at wing-forward. Both players will spend the remainder of the summer with the Wolfe Tones club.

Louth do though welcome Jim McEneaney back into contention for the Tipperary game, he’s been recalled to the squad after returning from Australia and impressing with the junior team. After missing out against Leitrim with a niggling injury he will be ready to play some part in the next game, which is less than two weeks away.