Sat May 11th 2019

Town lose unbeaten record in top-of-the-table clash

Match Report by Tony Ghee

An eighty-fifth minute goal from striker Kieran Marty-Waters ended Longford Town's unbeaten ten game run as Cabinteely recorded a priceless one-nil victory at the City Calling Stadium to replace the home side at the summit of the first division.

Cabinteely started the brighter and fired the game's first salvo in the tenth minute. The division's top scorer, Rob Manley, charged down the right, he cut inside to the end-line and his brilliant pull-back found Marty-Waters sixteen yards out from goal, but his shot was smartly saved by Town keeper Lee Steacy.

On eighteen minutes, a Marty-Waters' free-kick from twenty-five yards out on the right forced a save from Town stopper Steacy.

The Town's first real chance did not materialise until a minute before the interval. Anto Breslin whipped in a thirty yard free-kick from the right that picked out striker Dobbs, but his header was well saved by Cabinteely keeper Stephen McGuinness.

The visitors responded immediately but substitute Eoin Massey's shot was saved by Steacy.

A very non-descript second-half came alive in the eighty-fifth minute when Cabinteely took the lead. A superb through ball on the turn from Manley picked out Marty-Waters, he skipped past Town defender Conor Kenna and blasted the ball to the roof of the Longford net from just inside the box.

Town substitute Sam Verdon's injury time free-kick was deflected narrowly over the Cabinteely bar, and Pat Devlin's charges secured all three points with a deserved victory.

TEAM LINE-UPS

Longford Town: Steacy, Elworthy, McDonnell, Kenna, Breslin, Zambra, Hopkins, Brennan, Dervin, Byrne, Dobbs.
Substitutions: Verdon for Brennan (65 minutes), Ubaezuonu for Hopkins (65 minutes), O'Connor for Zambra (87 minutes)

Cabinteely FC: McGuinness, Hudson, Tuite, Keeley, Hurley, Dalton, Labutis, O'Neill, Aspil, Marty-Waters, Manley.
Substitutions: Massey for Labutis (13 minutes), Carlin for Hurley (72 minutes).

Referee: John McLoughlin