League Cup Semi-final
Longford Town 2, Derry City 1
(After extra time)
League Cup novices Longford Town qualified for a first ever League Cup final following this smash and grab victory in Flancare Park last night .
Derry were bidding to reach their ninth final but were undone by a last ditch Longford assault which saw the home side score an equaliser in the last minute of normal time and a winner in the last minute of extra time.
Longford had started brightly. Sean Francis should have done better then shoot straight at Derry keeper David Forde in the eight minute while the Longford striker also had another couple of half chances in the opening period.
However Derry went in at half time with both a goal and a man to spare. They took the lead in the 23rd minute.
Goalkeeper David Forde's clearance was headed against his own post by Longford defender Barry Ferguson and Padraig Moran gleefully slotted home the rebound.
Derry enjoyed long periods of dominance in the second half. Darren McCready had two chances within the space of a minute to extend their lead.
In the 51st minute the Derry midfielder shot straight at Longford keeper Mick Dempsey while less than 60 seconds later the home net minder again did well to smother McCready's strike.
Garret McGlynn again went close for Derry on the hour but perhaps the best chance of the half fell to the home side in the 65th minute.
Eric Lavine crossed for Sean Francis and with keeper Forde beaten, the striker's effort was somehow cleared off the line by Derry defender Kevin Deery.
Longford threw everything at Derry in the frenetic closing stages and were rewarded in the 90th minute when Francis eventually came good, chipping Derry keeper Forde for a quite stunning equaliser.
And the home side's luck continued in extra time when Alan Murphy scored a 120th minute winner, following up on Alan Kirby's free kick which rebounded off the post.
Longford Town: Dempsey, A Murphy, Foley, McGovern, Ferguson, Perth, Byrne, G Murphy, Lavine, Francis, Prunty. Subs: Kirby for G Murphy half time; Barrett for Prunty 74; Mulvihill for Perth 83.
Derry City: Forde, McCallion, Deery, Hutton, McLaughlin, McChrystal, McGlynn, Moran, Beckett, Martyn, McCready. Sub: Gill for Moran 80 mins.
Referee: A Buttimer (Cork).