LONGFORD TOWN failed to go top of the First Division table but salvaged their unbeaten start to the season with a late penalty in a 2-2 draw with St Francis at Baldonnel yesterday.
After the match Longford player manager Michael O Connor said referee Richard O Hanlon had cost his team two points and top spot. "The game should have been over at half time," said an outraged O'Connor. We should have been 2-0 up and playing 10 men."
The incident in question occurred on 37 minutes when St Francis' goalkeeper Gary Matthews quite blatantly took out Damien Dunleavy as the Longford striker headed just wide from Frankie Larkin's cross. Incredibly, OHanlon gave a goal kick. Even St Francis manager, Pete Mahon, agreed that Matthews should have been sent off.
Dublin teenager Larkin had given Longford a 15th minute, lead, but St Francis rallied in the second half and were rewarded with two goals inside five minutes from Thomas Devlin and Paddy Doyle. However an 85th minute penalty by Damien Dunleavy gave Longford a draw.
A Lee King goal after 14 minutes gave Monaghan United victory over Kilkenny City at Gortakeegan. King's free kick came back off the Kilkenny wall, but his second attempt beat Ashley Stephenson from 20 yards.
Meanwhile, Tommy Butler gave Cobb Ramblers the perfect start against Limerick at St Colman's Park on Saturday night. Butler forced the ball home after just two minutes, when Willy Byrne's free kick had come back off the crossbar. However, Limerick equalised after 32 minutes when Albert Finnan headed home to earn a point.
