Match Photos

MATCH REPORT: Longford Town 0-2 UCD

Sun Apr 22nd 2018

Match Report by Tony Ghee

Longford Town’s unbeaten home record came to an end last night as league leaders UCD departed the City Calling Stadium with all three points after a comfortable 2-0 victory over the hosts.

It was a very disappointing display by Longford Town that produced only one shot on target and the lifeless performance was in complete contrast to the sparkling football that the team have played the rest of the season. It was UCD that played the better football and created virtually all the chances in the contest and the visitors richly deserved the victory.

UCD should have led at half-time but a combination of brilliant goalkeeping from Mick Kelly and some poor finishing by the students resulted in a goalless first half.

In the fifth minute, UCD striker Georgie Kelly beat the Town offside trap and raced into the Longford box from the left, however, his shot from a tight angle was well saved by Town keeper Mick Kelly.

On nineteen minutes, the towering Georgie Kelly headed over an O’Neill free-kick and then on thirty-four minutes, the big UCD striker was denied again as his twenty-five yard piledriver was brilliantly saved by Town stopper Mick Kelly.

Jason McClelland should have found the Longford net on thirty-nine minutes but his shot on the turn from just twelve yards out went wide.

Three minutes before the interval, a slick UCD move carved open the Town rearguard. A quick exchange of passes between Coffey and Georgie Kelly put in Daire O’Connor clean through on goal with just Town keeper Mick Kelly to beat, but the Collingwood Cup Player Of The Season failed to hit the target as Kelly produced a magnificent save.

UCD deservedly took the lead just after the hour mark when man-of-the-match Georgie Kelly won possession and slotted home from close range after a clever one-two with O’Neill.

The Town goal survived another scare four minutes later when a Kelly shot on the turn, on the edge of the Town box, sailed narrowly over the Town bar.

Longford’s only shot on target eventually arrived in the sixty-ninth minute when striker Dean Byrne skipped by his marker only to direct his curling effort straight at UCD keeper Kearns.

UCD wrapped up victory on seventy-seven minutes with Georgie Kelly’s second goal of the contest.
A quick break by the visitors resulted in McClelland rampaging down the left, he cut inside along the end-line and cleverly played a low ball into the path of the unmarked Kelly, and he rifled a scorching nine-yard shot to the roof of the Longford net.

Substitute Paul Doyle almost made it three for the visitors on eighty-one minutes, but his rising fifteen yard strike was superbly tipped over by Town keeper Mick Kelly.

Next up for Longford is another home game next Saturday night when Finn Harps come to the City Calling Stadium with the game kicking-off at the usual 7-30pm time.

LINE-UPS

Longford Town: Kelly, O’Connor, McDonnell, O’Reilly, Noack-Hofmann, Chambers, Dervin, Zambra, Galvin, Byrne, Mulhall.
Substitutes: McGlade for O’Connor (65 minutes), Meenan for Galvin (78 minutes), Verdon for Zambra (78 minutes).

UCD: Kearns,Tobin, Kouogun, Collins, Scales, Coffey, O’Neill, Sloggett, McClelland, O’Connor, Kelly.
Substitutes: Doyle for O’Connor (78 minutes), Mahdy for Coffey (82 minutes), Hanrahan for Kelly (89 minutes).

Match pictures by Tiernan Dolan

MATCH REPORT: Longford Town 3-0 Wexford FC

Sun Mar 11th 2018

Match Report by Tony Ghee

Longford Town moved into second place in the First Division after a 3-0 victory over Wexford FC at the City Calling Stadium as Chris Mulhall’s brace and a goal from Dylan McGlade sealed all three points for the Midlanders. Galway, Longford Town, UCD and Cobh all have four points at the top of the table after the first two rounds of matches.

The Town unlocked the Wexford defence on six minutes when brilliant play from Mulhall and Meenan created an opportunity for O’Connor who shot just wide from just inside the box.

The Town’s passing let them down as several promising moves petered out and then Wexford almost equalised on the twenty minute mark. An excellent pull-back from near the end-line by Kenny picked out Hurley who whipped in a cross but Dobb’s glancing header was straight at Town keeper Kelly.

Four minutes later, Wexford had another chance to rattle the Town net when Slater ran onto a long diagonal ball over the top of the Town defence and turned inside his marker to create the space for a shot, however, Town stopper Kelly dived bravely at his feet to push the ball away to safety.

In the twenty-seventh minute the Town had the visitors under severe pressure as they earned four successive corners, the last of which resulted in O’Reilly heading O’Connor’s corner just over the Wexford bar.

Longford took the lead on thirty-seven minutes when Elworthy’s fine cross was side-footed to the Wexford net by striker Mulhall for his second goal in two games for the ‘Red & Black’.

Neale Fenn’s charges were unlucky not to be two-up at the interval as a thirty-yard thunderbolt from Town midfielder Verdon struck the butt of the Wexford post.

Five minutes into the second-half, Dobbs beat the Town offside trap but Town Keeper Kelly raced out of his box to superbly clear the danger ahead of Dobbs.

Two minutes later, a Mulhall effort was smothered brilliantly by Wexford keeper Bolger.

The home side had a very lucky escape on fifty-five minutes when a stunning twenty-five yard shot from Dean Kelly sailed over the stranded Town keeper Michael Kelly only to comeback off the woodwork.

In the sixty-fourth minute, Bolger produced an outstanding save from Hopkin’s fifteen yard shot to keep his side in the game, and ten minutes later Hopkins again came close to doubling the Town’s lead only for his rasping twenty-two yard strike to crash against the Wexford post after a poor clearance from Wexford keeper Bolger.

The Town deservedly went two-nil up on eighty minutes when Mulhall slotted home his second goal of the contest after superb play from substitute McGlade.

Longford Town sealed the victory on eighty-five minutes with their third goal. Wexford defender Kenny headed a cross against his own post and McGlade pounced to hammer home the rebound.

It was nearly four-nil in stoppage time as a Hopkins cross was fired towards the roof of the net by substitute Byrne only for Bolger to tip the shot over the bar.

Next up for Longford Town is a trip to Tolka Park next Friday to take on Shelbourne who include Longford Town’s all time highest goalscorer Davy O’Sullivan in their squad.

LINE-UPS

Longford Town: Kelly, Elworthy, McDonnell, O’Reilly, Noack-Hofmann, Zambra, Hopkins, Verdon, O’Connor, Meenan, Mulhall.

Substitutions: McGlade for Meenan (63 minutes), Byrne for O’Connor (71 minutes), Dervin for Verdon (88 minutes)

Scorers: Mulhall (’37, ’80) McGlade (’85)

Wexford FC: Bolger, McCormack, Ross Kenny, Sean Kelly, Hurley, Slater, Croke, Byrne, Dean Kelly, Chris Kenny, Dobbs.

Substitutions: Wall for Croke (71 minutes), Doyle for Kenny (81 minutes).

Pictures by Tiernan Dolan

(via Longford Town Supporters’ Club Facebook page)

Longford Town 2-2 Cobh Ramblers

Sat Feb 24th 2018

Pictures by Tiernan Dolan

Some second half action from tonight’s game…unfortunately De Town failed to press home their 2-0 advantage from the first half, allowing Cobh back into the game which ended in a 2-2 draw.

Longford Town in action against Limerick at the City Calling

Sun Feb 11th 2018

Pictures by Longford Town Supporters’ Club

Longford Town were defeated by Limerick FC at City Calling Stadium with a first half Billy Dennehy goal. Match report to follow but here are the action shots and pictures of some of our fans returning for the first action of the year at the City Calling Stadium.