Longford emerge from maelstrom

Sometimes sport is instructive about nothing except man's inherent foolishness. Yesterday in Mullingar was one such occasion.

Nine thousand two hundred and thirty-one spectators, one pair of football teams and mentors, a doomed referee and at least two abandoned toddlers all gathered under angering skies and howling winds to play their part in the pageant of the O'Byrne Cup final.

Or to put it another way, a hell of a big crowd showed up to witness a maelstrom of pushing, pulling, heaving, dragging, kicking (and generally missing), cursing, cartwheeling (Trevor Smullen after 68 minutes), running and falling. We saw two men dismissed ("Red cards for stupidity" was one fan's observation), two others clash heads, saw the first fallen hero stretchered off after just three minutes and watched as the managers haunted the sideline like demons possessed. And all of us, in our foolishness, found it quite compelling.

This was the first bit of silverware Longford had won since 1968 and while that feat will remain more storied, yesterday's fare was in a way just as noble.

"Who says Longford football has no place in Gaelic games," thundered Seamus Aldridge in his address afterwards. The crowd (no stopping pitch invasions here) hooted their approval and the Longford team beamed like this was September.

There was much ugliness to this game - in many respects, it forwarded the argument that in essence, Gaelic football is a waste of good athletes - but there was a stirring quality about the sight of two of the sport's perceived lesser lights sparking away for the rights to a title that has never been in vogue. "This is the first time since 1968 that Longford has won four games on the trot, so it has to be a confidence booster," offered manager Michael McCormack.

A wild and ceaseless driving wind took the only true control of the football shortly after the throw-in and although it spoiled life for the quality players, it did make the combined efforts appear all the more valiant. Longford ran with it in the first half and promptly clocked up a 1-2 to 0-0 lead after seven minutes, with the goal coming when Niall Sheridan slipped the ball under Dermot Ryan.

Longford were dominant at this stage and Enda Barden seemed to be on song for a vintage afternoon from dead balls, whacking three probing frees through the gales to establish his side.

Then, for no good reason, the midfielder swung a kick at Rory O'Connell and found himself on the bench. Westmeath had to fret over how to deploy the free man for all of 180 seconds; after 25 minutes, John Cooney barged into Pauric Brady and he too was presented with the red card by referee Gary McCabe.

After those two incidents, the blood was up - in the stands at least. Mayhem threatened briefly as the crowds erupted. Dessie Dolan was brought in by Brendan Lowry and the sight of an injudicious charge on the highly-regarded player was enough to inflame the Westmeath faithful. The play continued, somewhat uneasily until the guileful Paul Barden drove home a curling point, prompting McCabe - who had a thankless job - to announce half-time, with the scores at 1-4 to 0-1 in favour of Longford.

Westmeath ate into that deficit in earnest in the second half, with Kenny McKinley lofting a huge score three minutes in. Joe Fallon cracked a free and then Ger Heavin kicked another fine point through the torrents. Four points to 1-5 after 44 minutes and a comeback seemed possible.

Scores were scare after that but Longford held on through sheer stubborn pluck, really. Padraig Jones, Donal Ledwith and David Blessington soldiered admirably at the defensive coalface as Westmeath struggled to make an impression in the last quarter. Trevor Smullen ran his heart out and must be one of the best linkmen playing the game today.

Dolan and Fallon did cut the lead to just two points with 10 minutes remaining, but the expected Werstmeath rush never materialised. Instead, Paul Barden skipped free and clipped a relieving point and then Smullen collected a neat pass from Jones, cut inside his man and curled a 30-metre shot which dipped under Dermot Ryan. Two goals and six points to 0-6 to the good, Longford were back in from the cold.

Paul Conway fisted a late score for Westmeath but even though Fallon screwed a vicious shot across the goal face, there was to be no reprieve.

Longford: G Tonra; P Jones, D Ledwith, B Burke; M Mulleady, D Blessington, C Connffrey; L Keenan, E Barden (0-3, frees); P Brady, P Barden (0-2), P Ross; T Smullen (1-0), N Sheridan (1-0), P Davis (0-1). Subs: S Heagan for P Brady (61 minutes); E Ledwith for N Sheridan (68 mins).

Westmeath: D Ryan; K McKinley (0-1), D Mitchell, F Murray; D Healy, A Canning, M Murtagh; R O'Connell, D Gavin; D Heavin, J Cooney, S Deering; J Fallon (0-2, free), M Flannagan, G Heavin (0-2, free). Subs: P Conway (0-1) for M Flanagan (3 mins, inj); D Dolan (0-1), for D Heavin (32 mins inj).

Referee: G McCabe (Dublin).