Longford too good for erratic students

O'Byrne Cup SF Semi-final/Longford 1-16 DCU 0-10:Longford returned to the O'Byrne Cup final for the first time in five years when seeing off a star-studded but inconsistent DCU at Pearse Park, Longford, yesterday. Understandably, the win left the Longford team manager, Luke Dempsey, in buoyant mood - if also slightly confused.

Momentarily forgetting that Carlow are due to meet Dublin in tomorrow's postponed semi-final, Dempsey said: "The way Dublin are playing at the moment we could be beaten by 13 points but to be serious about our final fixture in the competition I would rather be playing next weekend in the final than operating in a challenge match somewhere else."

Dempsey's team, in common with many of their supporters, looked tense in the opening half and trailed by 0-7 to 0-6 at half-time, Mayo's Conor Mortimer having laboured mightily to bolster the students' challenge.

Longford looked in serious trouble in their attempt to continue a terrific run in the competition, but what was to follow in the opening quarter of the second half was something perhaps even Dempsey could not have envisaged. Whatever the Longford manager told his players behind closed doors at the interval it clearly worked.

In no time at all his men were on the rampage, compiling a string of scores that left the students looking dismayed and disorganised.

The introduction of the Longford hero Paul Barden probably had much to do with it, but the Longford attack looked fiercely determined to put matters right in that third quarter.

Paddy Dowd levelled the scores within seconds of the restart and wing back Shane Mulligan consolidated the home team's march with a classic point, moving from defence to attack.

Francis McGee added to DCU's problems with a rapid point before Brian Kavanagh, the opportunist full forward, tacked on a goal and a point.

This barrage put Longford ahead, 1-11 to 0-7, and by this stage DCU looked a beaten bunch.

The students' inconsistency was compounded by a penalty miss in the last quarter, the usually reliable Mortimer the culprit.

Later the Longford manager expressed sympathy with members of the opposing team in the context of what he saw as their overloaded schedule, Dempsey expressed concern at the number of competitive games students are obliged to play nowadays.

"These chaps have far too much competition, especially when they are very important people to their county teams," he argued. "It's tantamount to burnout in my opinion."

Whatever the reason, the students' difficulties were emphasised in the second half here, when the Longford midfielders Liam Keenan and Enda Farrell, abetted by a fresh and eager front division, ruled the roost.

Far from fearing a 13-point defeat in the final, Longford must be aware they are growing in stature and would appear to be a match for most teams.

Dempsey admitted: "We are building all the time and bringing in new players ahead of what we face, an intimidating level of opponents in the National League (Division Three), which is going to be a tough task for us this season."

Once the resolute Longford defence had contained the Mortimer-led student attack the match had been virtually decided as a contest.

Notably, the Longford half backs Shane Mulligan, Arthur O'Connor - who like Mulligan got forward to score a point - and Noel Farrell (one of three siblings in the Longford team) were quite superb behind Keenan and Enda Farrell.

Up front Francis McGee and Brian Kavanagh did a lot of good work, not the least valuable part of it their encouraging of the newcomer Stephen Philips in the right corner of attack.

LONGFORD: D Sheridan: D Brady, D Masterson (0-1), P O'Donnell; S Mulligan (0-1), A O'Connor (0-1), N Farrell; L Keenan (0-1), E Farrell; P Dowd, C Flynn, D Farrell; S Philips, B Kavanagh (1-5, one pointed free), F McGee (0-7, four frees). Subs: D Mitchell for Dowd, P Barden for Flynn, C McKeown for Mulligan.

DCU: P Brogan; P Andrews, D Sheridan, D Mooney; K Nolan, K Leahy, C Guckian; R Flanagan (0-2), D Clerkin; M McElhinney, S Smith (0-1), C Cregg (0-1); S Johnston (0-1), C Mortimer (0-5, three frees), M Kelly. Subs: D Walsh for Sheridan, R Mulhall for Johnston, K O'Reilly for Nolan.

Referee: P Daly (Westmeath).