Rovers fail to find late push

WATERFORD UNITED...3 CORK CITY...0Longford Town's season was already sown-up before they came to Tolka Park last night. Having won the FAI Cup, Europe awaits.

Everything else is a bonus. Yet, thanks to a Seán Francis strike, they still found time to put a dent in Shamrock Rovers' hopes of ending their campaign on a high.

Rovers' goalkeeping problems continue to plague them, an official announcement on the suspended Barry Ryan's future with the club is expected this evening, as Tony O'Dowd had to go off with a burst blood vessel in his left calf after 14 minutes. With no goalkeeper on the bench, manager Liam Buckley was forced to hand the gloves to Shane Robinson.

In fairness to the winger, he dealt soundly with the initial long-range shots that Longford predictability fired at him. Francis did attempt an audacious lob, which went wide, and the visitors had a clear advantage from set-pieces into the penalty area.

In the first-half, it was at the other end that a goal seemed the most likely. Glenn Fitzpatrick was dominating the aerial duals (he suffered the most from Robinson's redeployment) while on the half-hour mark a stinging shot from Stephen Grant went inches over the bar.

With word filtering through that main rivals St Patrick's Athletic and Cork City were both trailing in their respective ties, the motivation was there for Rovers to push for the InterToto Cup spot, and thus rescue a poor season. But on a night of constant showers, the game refused to spark into life and it was a game in which grafters, like Longford's Alan Murphy thrived, while strikers chased shadows.

Eventually, the lack of an imposing goalkeeper came back to haunt Buckley's side. A skidding ball into the danger zone by Stephen Paisley arrived at the far post, where Francis duly finished.

The goal opened up the contest, the skies also cleared for the last 20 minutes, but still Rovers failed to really trouble Shane Barrett in the Longford goal.

Longford midfielder Graham Gartland left an ugly mark on the contest when his two-footed lunge ended Stephen McGuinness's night. Referee John McDermott rightly showed him a straight red card.

LONGFORD TOWN: Barrett; Dillon, McGovern, Ferguson, Paisley; Kirby (Byrne, 72 mins), Murphy, Keogh, Gartland; Lavine (Murphy 78 mins), Francis (Mulvihill, 81).

Referee: J McDermott (Dublin).