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O'Dwyer's men recover from late stutter to claim victory

Wicklow 2-12 Longford 1-13 : A LATE Paul Earls goal rescued victory for Wicklow in O’Moore Park yesterday, just when it looked…

Mon May 25 2009 - 01:00

Wicklow 2-12 Longford 1-13: A LATE Paul Earls goal rescued victory for Wicklow in O'Moore Park yesterday, just when it looked like they had blown it.

Mick O’Dwyer’s men had established a seven-point lead entering the final quarter, but a goal and four points without reply from Longford brought the sides level with just five minutes of normal time remaining.

Seánie Furlong must have been feeling particularly guilty, as his point to establish that initial advantage was taken at the expense of a goal opportunity – which if converted would surely have finished the game.

Instead, Pádraig Berry found the net at the other end after good work by the David Barden. Points from Ger Dennigan (free) and Paul Barden brought the sides level and Longford looked the likeliest winners.

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However, Wicklow picked themselves up and, to his credit, it was Furlong who was central to the response. First, he slotted a free from a very acute angle to restore Wicklow’s lead, before setting up Earls for the match-clinching goal.

Longford – who had led 0-7 to 0-6 at the break – hit back with points from Berry and a Dennigan free, but in the end, time ran out on Glenn Ryan’s team.

The Kildare man wasn’t happy afterwards, complaining in a television interview about a push on Brian Kavanagh that did not earn a free. He then marched straight past the waiting press pack, unwilling to comment any further.

Mick O’Dwyer had no such problems. “It was a good championship game,” he said after the game. “We were up seven points and sat on our lead as usual. That’s what we normally do.

“But when they came level again we showed good character in our team and came back really well to get a great goal that made all the difference.”

WICKLOW: M Travers; C Hyland, D Power, A Byrne; P McWalter, D Ó hAnnaidh, P Dalton; J Stafford, T Walsh; T Hannon (0-4, three frees, one 45), L Glynn, R Nolan (1-1); D Odlum (0-1), S Furlong (0-4, two frees), P Earls (1-2). Subs: B McGrath for Power (half-time).

LONGFORD: D Sheridan; D Reilly, B Gilleran, P Foy; D Masterson, E Williams, S Mulligan; G Dennigan (0-4, three frees), K Smith (0-1); P Berry (1-1), F McGee (0-4, four frees), D Barden (0-1); P Barden (0-1), K Mulligan, B Kavanagh (0-1). Subs: N Farrell for Masterson, P Dowd for Kavanagh (both 57 mins); C Mimnagh for Mulligan (70+2).

Referee: M Sludden(Tyrone).