Longford again take little step forward

O'Byrne Cup SF/Longford 0-14 Meath 1-6:Even within the strict limitations of the O'Byrne Cup, two wins on the trot - over Kildare in Newbridge and now Meath in Navan - can't be entirely dismissed, and the future of Longford football surely appears a little brighter, at least compared to a fortnight ago.

The problem with these games, however, is that they're like sitting with a gypsy woman at the travelling circus, leaving you mildly stimulated and yet far from convinced it will have any actual bearing on the future. In reality it's hard to envisage Longford repeating a result like this come the summer.

While it was a both a deserved and impressive victory, it came against a very much disorganised and at times disinterested Meath. They'll be a far different team come the championship and it doesn't take a gypsy woman to predict that.

For now all the credit goes to Longford, who showed great heart and determination over the 70 minutes and were rewarded with a five-point victory that, if anything, flattered Meath.

While Longford's scoring was consistent and well spread, with eight different players making their contribution count, Meath went 20 minutes of the first half and practically the entire second half without a score.

In fact their goal three minutes into the second half looked like a fluke - with Peter's Curran's miss-hit free punched into the net by newcomer Niall Mooney - and Meath didn't score again until the end when Joe Sheridan, back on show again after his brief exodus last summer, hit a closing free.

Longford were the classier team throughout, with Brian Kavanagh once again underlining his exceptional talent (hitting 0-3 in the process) while fellow forwards Francis McGee and Declan Farrell were equally prominent. Midfielder Liam Keenan won a lot of possession and newcomer Enda Farrell also showed up well and, despite a slower start, this was a game Longford never looked like losing.

"Of course it's more important that Longford win these games, than it is for Meath," said manager Luke Dempsey, who now faces a semi-final next weekend against the students/intercounty selection of Dublin City University.

"It's a confidence-building thing in Longford. These players are as good a group as you could manage, and I am delighted for them to beat another team like Meath, after beating Kildare last Sunday. And in fact since I've started in management I've never beaten Meath. So these are all little steps for Longford, and for me personally, and help keep us interested in this game.

"I know that was a very experimental Meath team, and we'd a lot more first-team players out there. And we're well aware of that. But it doesn't take from the importance of that victory, because nearly every match that we play is about turning around the predictable outcome, and we've done that now for the last two Sundays. Even if you take our O'Bryne Cup for the last four years we were beaten in the first round."

For sure Meath were without key players in every position - Brendan Murphy, Darren Fay, Anthony Moyles, Nigel Crawford, Brian Farrell and Graham Geraghty among those absent - but it wasn't a hopeless performance either. Jamie Quenney clearly has potential in the forward line and Mooney took his goal chance well, whether it was rehearsed or not.

But having gone 0-4 to 0-1 in front after 11 minutes, Meath drifted straight out of the game and as a result went into the break a point down - and would have been further behind had Longford not sent several shots just off target. Even with their goal early in the second half Meath never got a grip on the game, allowing Longford to hit eight points without replay in the second half, including one absolute gem from Kavanagh way out by the right sideline.

Longford were also the fitter team, something Dempsey admitted was a priority given their short-term ambition of surviving in division three of the league: "These lads have already committed to some very hard training before Christmas, and Longford need to do that," he said.

"Physically we're a small team, and so are the Longford under-21s, for whatever reason. Genetics, or what, I don't know. I mean even that Meath team was physically bigger. Maybe we need to get a few big Meath men into Longford to start breeding a bigger player.

"But we're moving the ball quicker, and as I said the group we have are very committed. Meath did have a good game plan out there, and do have some very good footballers. But I know as well they'll be a different team come the summer. They'll be knocking hard on the door of the Leinster title this year.

"But we have a small group in Longford, and to bring on players like Gary Murphy, Enda Williams, Stephen Phillips. These are all new players. And Enda Farrell at midfield. So I'm pleased with the way things are going."

LONGFORD: D Sheridan; D Brady, D Masterson, N Farrell (0-1); S Mulligan, A O'Connnor, E Williams; L Keenan (0-1), E Farrell (0-2); G Murphy, C Flynn (0-1), P Dowd (0-1); D Farrell (0-1), B Kavanagh (0-3), F McGee (0-4, two frees). Subs: C Conefrey for Williams (40 mins), P Berry for Flynn (51 mins), S Philips for Dowd (58 mins), C Casey for Murphy (68 mins).

MEATH: R Nolan; E Harington, A Collins, C McGuinness; S Sheppard, C King, S Sheridan; E Reilly, JB O'Reilly; N Mooney (1-0), P Byrne (0-1), P Curran (0-1, a free); S Bray (0-2), J Quenney (0-1), G Reilly. Subs: A Nestor for Byrne (38 mins), J Sheridan (0-1, a free) for Reilly (41 mins), M Brennan for Curran, J Looby for Collins (both 53 mins), N McLoughlin for Mooney (64 mins).

Referee: E Craul (Wicklow).