Match Report

Match Report: Shelbourne FC 6-1 Longford Town FC

Sat Jul 28th 2018

Match Report by James Donnelly

Longford Town FC suffered their heaviest defeat of the 2018 season on Friday night as Neale Fenn’s 10 man team went down 6-1 to Shelbourne at Tolka Park. De Town came into the game off the back of a comfortable 3-0 win at home to Wexford FC last week so confidence was high going into the game.

Shelbourne had the first chance of the night, when former Town player and club record goal-scorer David O’Sullivan’s glancing header went wide of the post. From then, Longford settled into the game and began a period of pressure on the home team. New Town signing and former Shelbourne man Jamie Doyle went close, only being denied by the hands of Dean Delany in goal. Dylan McGlade caused problems on the wing along with Karl Chambers and Shane Elworthy on the opposite side.

Against the run of play however, Shelbourne got their first goal of the night just before half time, when a free in to the box was met in the air by Dave Mulcahy who flicked it into the far corner to head home.

Town immidiately responded in the second half and got the equalizer 5 minutes in. Tristan Noack-Hofmann made a great run down the left wing before cutting inside and earning a corner. McGlades delivery was met by Michael McDonnell who’s header towards goal fell to Sam Verdon who tapped it in from close range to level things up.

Sam Verdon celebrates scoring Longford Town’s equalizer. Photo: Ken Keenan Photography

From then on, things went downhill. Shelbourne got their second of the night on 68 minutes when a good break saw the ball driven across the box before it fell to Karl Moore on the left who drove it under the legs of both Elworthy and Kelly in the Town goal.

A moment of madness only 2 minutes later saw the home side get their 3rd goal of the night. Daniel O’Reilly picked up the ball in the centre circle, holding posession, he turned back towards Sam Verdon to pass it off. As he did, the ref ran towards him and the ball ricocheted off him and into the path of a Shels man who sent David O’Sullivan through 1 on 1 with Kelly and the former Longford record goal scorer made no mistake in slotting it home, much to the anger of the travelling support and assistant Manager Daire Doyle who was inevitably sent to the stand.

Doyle went close again for Longford, this time turning on to his left foot inside the Shels box and forcing Delany to pull off a stunning save from close range. Things went from bad to worse for De Town however, Doyle was harshly sent off follwing an exchange with the ref after he had been deemed to have fouled a Shelbourne player.

Shels then took control of the game in the last quarter. Karl Moore completed his hat-trick to make it 5-1 before the Dublin side were awarded a soft penalty in the last few minutes in which James English cooly shot low to the left to make it 6.

A tough, tough night for Neale Fenn and co.

TEAM LINE-UPS

Shelbourne: Dean Delany, John Ross Wilson, Dave Mulcahy, Lorcan Fitzgerald, Aidan Collins, Karl Moore, Mark Hughes, Adam Evans, Gavin Boyne, David O’Sullivan, James English

Subs: Lee Steacy, Dayle Rooney, James O’Brien (sub for Gavin Boyne), Greg Moorehouse, Reece McEnteer(sub for Aidan Collins), Cian Kavanagh, Shane Farrell

Longford Town: Michael Kelly, Shane Elworthy, Michael McDonnell, Daniel O’Reilly, Tristan Noack-Hofmann, Dylan McGlade, Jamie Hollywood, Aodh Dervin, Karl Chambers, Sam Verdon, Jamie Doyle (Red Card)]

Subs: Ben Kelly, Darren Meenan (sub for Jamie Hollywood), Eoin O’Neill (sub for Sam Verdon), Evan O’Connor, Dean Dillon (sub for Karl Chambers), Dean Zambra, Warren Mitchell.

Hear from Longford Town FC Manager Neale Fenn after the game: https://soundcloud.com/longford-town-tv/post-match-interview-with-neale-fenn-shelbourne-fc-270718

MATCH REPORT: Longford Town 3-0 Wexford FC

Sun Jul 22nd 2018

Match Report by Tony Ghee

Longford Town got their promotion push back on track with a comfortable three-nil victory over Wexford FC at the City Calling Stadium to move within a point of fourth placed Shelbourne, and to within three points of third placed Finn Harps. After a scoreless first-half, a second-half brace from McGlade and another second-half goal from Noack-Hofmann who deflected home an O’Reilly strike gave the ‘Red and Black’ all three valuable points.

The Town had the first chance of the contest after just three minutes when a superb Elworthy ball over the top of the Wexford defence released Verdon down the right, he cut inside and fired a low, diagonal shot that just whistled inches wide of the far post.

Wexford almost found the Town net in the sixth minute when an arching George header at the back post was brilliantly palmed away by Town stopper Kelly.

Danny O’Reilly tried his luck on sixteen minutes with a long range strike that was only just too high, and although the Town dominated possession for the rest of the half and created several half chances, Wexford keeper Chambers endured no danger until the forty-third minute. Chambers cleverly created space for himself down the right and his perfectly weighted cross picked out Verdon but his header was saved by Chambers.

The Town got off to the perfect start to the second half when they took the lead within a minute of the resumption. Verdon raced into the box on the right and his low cross deflected off a Wexford defender into the path of McGlade and he drilled home the opening goal.

On fifty minutes, Danny O’Reilly nearly doubled the Town’s advantage with a twenty yard half-volley that went narrowly wide after shaving the post.

Longford should have gone two-up on fifty-six minutes when a Chambers cross bounced off the chest of Wexford defender Cahill and landed at the feet of unmarked Town striker Dillon just ten yards out from goal, but he somehow blazed well over when he should have scored.

However, Dillon made amends just three minutes later when his battling tenacity from a McGlade free-kick helped him to set up O’Reilly whose shot from just inside the box, defected off Noack-Hofmann into the net to put Longford two goals clear.

It got even better for the home side on sixty-six minutes when Elworthy’s excellent cross was guided to the net from close range by McGlade for his second off the night and the Town’s third.

Jamie Doyle should have made it four shortly afterwards but he shot straight at Chambers in a one-on-one situation.

Town keeper Kelly easily saved a twenty-five yard curling effort from Wexford’s Masood on eighty-five minutes, and the home side cruised home to secure a well deserved triumph.

Next up for Neale Fenn’s charges is a mouthwatering trip to Tolka Park next Friday to take on promotion rivals Shelbourne.

TEAM LINE-UPS

Longford Town: Kelly, McDonnell, Noack-Hofmann, O’Reilly, Dervin, Elworthy, Hollywood, Chambers, Verdon, Dillon, McGlade.
Substitutions: Doyle for Dillon (65 minutes), Ryan for Chambers (71 minutes),

Wexford FC: Chambers, McCarten, Cahill, Kelly, Morgan, Masood, Byrne, Sutton, O’Connor, George, Nugent.
Substitutions: Smithers for O’Connor (61 minutes), O’Reilly for Kelly (77 minutes)

MATCH REPORT: Longford Town 1-0 Drogheda United

Sat Jun 16th 2018

Match Report by Tony Ghee

Longford Town bounced back from their away defeat at Cabinteely with an excellent one-nil victory at home to promotion challengers Drogheda United to move back into the play-off places, as Sam Verdon’s sixth league goal of the season sealed the crucial three points for Neale Fenn’s charges at the City Calling Stadium last night.

The Town were missing the suspended Meenan and Galvin, and the injured Hopkins and Byrne, but Dervin was back in the panel after having completed his Leaving Cert. Drogheda were missing Conor Kane after he was injured at the City Calling Stadium on Tuesday during the Irish Colleges and Universities 2-1 victory over their French counterparts.

Drogheda were by far the superior team in the opening twenty-five minutes but failed to convert their dominance into goals.

In the eleventh minute, Drogheda striker Lyons should have scored but he fired his swivel shot straight at Town stopper Kelly from no more than eight yards out.

Two minutes later, Jake Hyland came very close to opening the scoring for the visitors but Kelly was alert to palm Hyland’s twenty yard curling strike around the post. Kelly was again called into action from the subsequent corner when he produced a fine save from Doyle’s header.

The home side had another lucky escape in the twenty-first minute when Purdy’s crisp twenty yard shot with the outside of his left boot from a Hyland cut-back came crashing back off the Longford post.

However, against the run of play, Longford hit the front on twenty-seven minutes when the towering Verdon rose above his markers to brilliantly head home from a McGlade free-kick.

Once the Town scored, they grew in confidence and proceeded to play much better for the rest of the contest. A superb weaving run into the visitors box from McGlade had the Drogheda defence in turmoil and his clever pull-back picked out Verdon, but his goalbound shot was magnificently blocked by defender Farragher.

Drogheda came close to equalising on 31 minutes when they struck the post for the second time as Mark Doyle’s 15 yard shot was pushed onto the post by Town keeper Kelly.

The second-half produced very few chances for either side, but the Town played the better football. Drogheda’s best opportunity came early in the new half as a Lyon’s volley from a Deacy cross rocketed narrowly over the Town bar, while at the other end, the Town should have scored a second goal on eigthty-five minutes, however, Mulhall’s shot from Hollywood’s excellent pass was straight at Drogheda keeper Skinner.

There were some excellent individual displays from Elworthy, McDonnell and McGlade but one player who deserves special mention is Karl Chambers. Just like Dervin, and Noack-Hoffman, Chambers has graduated from the underage ranks into the first team and his superb all round display last night proved what a valuable asset he is to the ‘Red & Black’s’ promotion push.

The Town have now won their last three matches against fellow top six sides with victories over Galway United, Finn Harps, and Drogheda to build momentum going into the summer break. Hopefully, they can make it four in-a-row against leaders UCD at the Belfield Bowl in their next fixture on Friday, June 29th.

TEAM LINE-UPS

Longford Town: Kelly, Elworthy, McDonnell, O’Reilly, Hofmann, Zambra, Chambers, Hollywood, Dervin, McGlade, Verdon.
Substitutes: Mulhall for Verdon (81 minutes).

Drogheda United: Skinner, Deacy, Gallagher, Farragher, Kelly, McCaffrey, Doyle, Hyland, Purdy, Brennan, Lyons.
Substitutes: Hondermarck for Purdy (63 minutes), Duffy for McCaffrey (78 minutes).

Match highlights and post match interviews are all on our Longford Town TV YouTube channel. 

MATCH REPORT: Town’s six game unbeaten run ended by Cabo

Sat Jun 9th 2018

Match Report by Tony Ghee

Longford Town’s impressive six game unbeaten league run was brought to a halt in Stradbrook last night as a goal on the half-hour mark from Kevin Knight gave Cabinteely a one-nil victory, a result that sees Longford drop down to fifth in the League table after Finn Harps won away at Galway United.

The Town came into the contest with four wins and two draws from their last six games and the momentum of those back-to-back wins over Galway and Finn Harps over the Bank Holiday weekend had propelled Neale Fenn’s charges into the play-off positions. However, this was always going to be a tricky contest as Cabinteely are very hard beaten at home. Their three home losses to Wexford, Cobh, and Galway were all one goal defeats, while they have beaten UCD, Shelbourne, and Drogheda at Stradbrook, so a draw would have been an excellent result.

The first twenty-five minutes produced very little to entertain the fans but the Town suffered a huge blow after just twelve minutes when striker Dean Byrne who had produced four assists in the wins over Galway and Harps, went off injured with a groin problem that will probably keep him out of action for several weeks.

Town forward, Dean Byrne, who will be out of action for a few games following an injury

The first real shot at goal came after twenty-six minutes when McGlade ran at the Cabo defence, turned inside his marker and let fly from the edge of the box, but his shot went wide.

Disaster struck for the visitors on the half-hour mark as Cabinteely took the lead with their first effort on goal. Dalton floated a free-kick from the left into the Town box that was misjudged by Zambra and his attempted clearance deflected the ball straight to Knight at the back post and the Cabinteely full-back fired home from close range.

The Town suddenly came alive and began to exert pressure on the Dubliners defence. On thirty-three minutes, an Elworthy throw found McGlade who cleverly lifted the ball over defender Knight, he ran onto the ball but his strike was well off target.

In the thirty-ninth minute, a sweeping Town move carved open the Cabo rearguard. McDonnell intercepted a Cabo pass and played the ball to McGlade who quickly moved the ball to Mulhall, and Mulhall set-up Verdon for a shot that went narrowly wide.

Just before the interval, Town defender O’Reilly almost equalised but his thunderous fifteen-yard goalbound shot was brilliantly blocked.

Cabinteely should have doubled their advantage just two minutes after the restart. Marty Waters superb ball put in Clucas on the left side of the Longford box, and although the angle was slightly narrow, he only had Town keeper Kelly to beat, but instead of shooting to the far bottom corner he played a harmless ball across the six-yard box that was easily cleared.

Verdon shot over on fifty-two minutes from O’Reilly’s excellent long diagonal pass, while at the other end on seventy-six minutes, clever play from Waters set-up Watson who fired a shot just inches over the Town bar.

Longford completely dominated the last twenty minutes but failed to snatch a deserved equaliser due to a combination of poor finishing, good defending, and a couple of excellent saves from McGuinness in the Cabinteely goal.

Longford almost scored a dramatic injury time equaliser. Galvin’s twenty-yard shot was well saved by McGuinness but the ball came out to Verdon at the back post and he seemed destined to rattle the net from close range only for McGuinness to somehow get across to produce a magnificent save with Mulhall’s rebound strike blocked away.

The Town finished with ten players for the third time in four games as Galvin received his marching orders deep into injury time.

Next up for Longford Town is a home tie against Drogheda next Friday night at the City Calling Stadium at 7.45pm.

TEAM LINE-UPS:

Cabinteely FC: McGuinness, Tuite, Fitzpatrick, Lotefa, Knight, Dalton, Watson, Dolan, Casey, Marty Waters, Clucas.

Substitutes: Morgan for Dolan (59 minutes), McGee and Byrne for Clucas and Casey (71 minutes).

Longford Town: Kelly, Elworthy, McDonnell, O’Reilly, Noack-Hofmann, Chambers, Hollywood, Zambra, McGlade, Byrne, Verdon.

Substitutes: Mulhall for Byrne (12 minutes), Hopkins for Chambers (56 minutes), Galvin for Hollywood (71 minutes)

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