Sport

Longford hold on tight

Longford 0-13 Leitrim 0-10: ALTHOUGH THE record books will show Longford won this tense and at times exciting local derby before…

Mon Jul 06 2009 - 01:00

Longford 0-13 Leitrim 0-10:ALTHOUGH THE record books will show Longford won this tense and at times exciting local derby before a 4,000 attendance at sunny Páirc Seán Mhic Diarmada,Carrick-on-Shannon, on Saturday evening, it was a rollercoaster ride for both sets of supporters.

Referee Martin Sludden kept a tight rein on matters, handing out 11 yellow cards – six to Longford – and one red in a game that was generally sporting.

Leitrim, producing their best football of the season, led 0-5 to 0-1 at the end of the first quarter. It didn’t last as man of the match Pádraig Berry started the Longford fightback with a 15th-minute point from play followed by four unanswered points to wipe out the Leitrim advantage. The sides were level 0-7 each at the break.

Ger Dennigan put Longford ahead six minutes after the resumption and, in a nine-minute scoring blitz, the visitors added four more points without reply to lead 0-12 to 0-7.

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Foley again led the Leitrim revival and they dominated possession for the remainder. However, their efforts yielded just two Philly McGuinness pointed frees.

The dismissal of midfielder Kevin Smith for a second bookable offence three minutes from time added to Longford’s anxiety as Leitrim went in search of the goal that would give them victory, but substitute David Bardons relieving extra-time point put Longford through.

LONGFORD: D Sheridan; D Reilly, B Gilleran, D Brady; D Masterson (0-1), E Williams, N Farrell; G Dennigan (0-2, frees), K Smith; P Berry (0-3), F McGee (0-2, one 45), S Mulligan; P Barden (0-1), C Mimnagh(0-2), B Kavanagh (0-1). Subs: P Foy for Farrell, D Bardon (0-1) for Mimnagh, P Berry for Mulligan, P Dowd for Kavanagh. Yellow cards: P Bardon (9 mins), K Smith (25 mins), E Williams (50 mins), D Reilly (63 mins), B Gilleran (64). Red card: K Smith (67 mins).

LEITRIM: E Gill; M McGuinness, P Gilmartin, D Reynolds; G Reynolds (0-2), J McKeon, B Prior; G McCloskey, S Canning; M Foley (0-4 three frees), D Maxwell, P McGuinness (0-3 two frees), D O’Connor (0-1), T Beirne, J Glancy. Subs: B McWeeney for Prior, D Duignan for McCloskey, J Houlihan for Foley, R Cox for Glancy. Yellow cards: M McGuinness (23 mins), D Reynolds (39 mins), B McWeeney (42 mins), G McCloskey (43 mins), J McKeon (56 mins).

Referee: M Sludden (Tyrone).