Match Report

Match Report: Wexford FC 0-2 Longford Town FC

Sat May 12th 2018

SSE Airtricity League First Division

Wexford FC 0-2 Longford Town FC
Friday 11th May 2018
Ferrycarrig Park •  Kick-off: 8.00pm

 

Match Report by James Donnelly

Longford Town continued their run of form with a comfortable 2-0 win over Wexford FC at Ferrycarring Park on Friday night. In front of a disappointing crowd of 70 or so, Neale Fenn’s men dispatched the challenge of the former Youths with a goal in each half from Jamie Hollywood and Chris Mulhall.

It was Wexford who had the opening chance of the game, Shane Barnes latching on to a cross from the right side and shooting inside the box but his effort was deflected by Town Captain Dean Zambra who had raced back to cover.

Longford looked to open their account on 11 minutes when forward Chris Mulhall held up the ball brilliantly even when it appeared he was fouled, to then turn on to his right foot and shoot but his attempt was wide of the mark.

De Town had the majority of possession throughout the entirety of the 90 minutes and it wasn’t long before they got the opener. A corner kick from Darren Meenan on 19 minutes was hit high across the box to the waiting Jamie Hollywood who took it down expertly on his right foot and blasted the ball into the top corner with his left foot from just inside the box.

Wexford never got going after that and Longford began to control the game. Dylan McGlade swung in a high ball that troubled Wexford Keeper Kealan Gaffney which forced him to punch clear even though there was no Town players around him at the time. This was followed up by another attack from McGlade, this time going by two men and feigning a shot before eventually turning on to his left but his powerful strike only stung the hands of Gaffney in goal.

Half time saw the introduction of Evan Galvin for Darren Meenan and his impact was immediate. Gaining possession on the left wing, Galvin beat one man before laying it off to Tristan Noack-Hofmann who’s shot was straight into the hands of Gaffney.

Jamie Hollywood scores the opener for Longford Town during their 2-0 victory over Wexford FC. Pic: Ken Keenan Photography

Longford got their second on 55 minutes when a corner was headed across goal by Town defender Michael McDonnell to Noack-Hofmann who in turned headed it towards goal and then it was just a simple header into the net for Chris Mulhall. Although Gaffney pushed it back out, the ref was in clear view and blew his whistle for the goal, much to the delight of Mulhall who made sure everyone knew the goal was his and not Sam Verdons who had tapped in the rebound.

Town had a chance to make it 3-0 on 78 minutes when a scoffed clearance from Wexford keeper Gaffney landed at Evan Galvins feet. The Cork man tried to lob the scrambling Gaffney but Owen McCormack had raced back to cover the line and consequently cleared the ball.

Dean Byrne went close in the closing moments when he cut inside on the right wing but his low shot was saved by the outstretched foot of Gaffney.

While the result was never in doubt, Longford never really stepped into 3rd gear and will be looking for an even bigger performance against Shelbourne at the City Calling Stadium next week.

TEAM LINE-UPS

Wexford FC: Kealan Gaffney, Sean Hurley, Ross Kenny (C), Owen McCormack, Mikey Byrne, Mark Slater (subbed: George), Thomas Croke, Liam McCartan (subbed: Doyle), Shane Barnes, Ryan Nolan (subbed: Kelly), AJ Lehane

Subs: Collum Feeney, Sean Kelly, John Morgan, Danny Doyle, Dean George, Dean Kelly, Aaron Dobbs.

Longford Town: Michael Kelly, Tristan Noack-Hofmann, Shane Elworthy, Michael McDonnell, Daniel O’Reilly, Dean Zambra (C), Dylan McGlade, Jamie Hollywood (subbed: Ryan), Darren Meenan (subbed: Galvin), Sam Verdon, Chris Mulhall (subbed: Byrne)

Subs: Jack Brady, Evan Galvin, Daniel Ridge, Jackson Ryan, Dean Byrne, Adam O’Connor, Karl Chambers

Match Report: Cobh Ramblers 2-0 Longford Town (EA Sports Cup)

Wed May 9th 2018

EA SPORTS CUP QUARTER FINAL

Cobh Ramblers 2-0 Longford Town FC
Tuesday 8th May 2018 / 7.30pm
St. Colman’s Park

Match Report by James Donnelly

Cobh got their revenge for their 1-0 league loss from Saturday night against Longford Town on Tuesday evening. A 2-0 victory over De Town saw Stephen Hendersons men progress to the semi finals of the EA Sports cup for the first time. A beautiful free kick from Darren Murphy just before half time and second in the later stages of the second half from Andrew Wall was enough to see the Cork men through.

Town started the game positively and made an impact within seconds. A corner led to Tristan Noack-Hofmann heading the ball back towards goal to which Dean Byrne slotted it home however he was ruled to be offside although Cobh’s James McSweeney seemed to have been playing him on and didn’t protest the goal which seems to suggest he thought so also.

Town almost opened the scoring on 16 minutes. A good ball from Darren Meenan to Dylan McGlade saw the Town winger in space, he played in Evan Galvin who whipped in a low cross that was met by Dean Byrne but his shot was just wide of the post.

Cobh had the chance to take the lead only 7 minutes later when David Hurley raced past the Town defence to go through on goal but Longford Captain Dean Zambra raced back in time to get a great tackle in and block the shot. The resulting corner caused a problem but Town defender Daniel O’Reilly was on hand to clear it away with a header.

A much more physical game than the previous Saturday night’s league encounter, Longford found themselves limited in creating chances in the first half. A questionable free awarded to Cobh against Karl Chambers just before half time saw the Cork men open the scoring. Beautifully placed, there was nothing Jack Brady could have done to prevent it from going in.

Darren Meenan pictured in action against Cobh on Tuesday in the EA Sports Cup 1/4 Final. Photo Credit: Steve Alfred/Extratime.ie

Town could have equalized just after the start of the second half. Karl Chambers getting in behind the Cobh defence but he failed to connect with Evan Galvins cross.

Cobh nearly got their second on 77 minutes when a cross from Stephen Christopher just went over the bar, almost catching out Longford.

De Town had the majority of possession in the last 15 minutes but failed to capitalize. While it did look like Longford would get the equalizer and force it to extra time, the goal never came. Chris Mulhall coming closest in the last few minutes, he got onto the end of a long ball and raced through one on one with Mylod in the Cobh goal but his touch took it away from him and Mylod easily gathered.

Cobh got their second immediately after, breaking from Mulhall’s chance, David Hurley played in substitute Andy Wall who cooly rounded Brady in the Longford goal and slotted it home.

Cobh, fully deserved of the win, closed out the game and progress into the semi finals, much to the delight of the small crowd present.

TEAM LINE-UPS

Cobh Ramblers: Adam Mylod, James McSweeney, Ben O’Riordan, Adam O’Sullivan, Kevin Taylor, Stephen Christopher, Darren Murphy, David Hurley, Pierce Phillips, Cian Leonard, Anthony McAlavey.

Subs: Paul Hunt, Peter Callanan, Jaze Kabia, Michael Sadys, Andy Wall, Beineon O’Brien Whitmarsh.

Longford Town: Jack Brady, Tristan Noack-Hofmann, Daniel O’Reilly, Dean Zambra (Captain), Sam Verdon, Evan Galvin, Michael McDonnell, Dean Byrne, Karl Chambers (subbed: Ryan), Darren Meenan Subbed: Mulhall), Dylan McGlade (Subbed: Elworthy).

Subs: Michael Kelly, Shane Elworthy, Peter Hopkins, Chris Mulhall, Jackson Ryan, Daniel Ridge, Uli Keller.

LEINSTER SENIOR CUP MATCH REPORT: UCD 1-2 Longford Town

Wed May 2nd 2018

Match Report by James Donnelly

Longford Town progressed into the next round of the Leinster Senior Cup last night with a 2-1 victory over UCD in Belfield. Jackson Ryan got both goals for De Town in the second half after Ben Hanrahan had opened the students account early in the first.


Both managers made big changes to their starting eleven coming into the game, for UCD, the stand-out missing man was star striker Georgie Kelly while Longford Town were without the services of midfield maestro Aodh Dervin who is out for at least a month after picking up a nasty injury against Finn Harps last week. Centre backs Daniel O’Reilly and Michael McDonnell were rested, both starting the game on the bench. Adam O’Connor and Daniel Ridge started in their place.

The first chance of the game came to Longford’s Tristan Noack-Hofmann. A slack UCD clearance fell to the Arvagh man about 30 yards out but his shot went over and didn’t trouble Conor Kearns in the UCD goal.

Evan Galvin played in Dylan McGlade not too long after but his shot only stung the hands of Kearns and it eventually ended up out for a corner. Dean Byrne also went close when he got onto the end of a cross from Darren Meenan but his volley was blasted high into the sky.

UCD wasted an opportunity on 15 minutes when Kevin Coffey was played in but he dragged his shot wide past Jack Bradys right post.

However, the students eventually opened the scoring on 20 minutes. Some lax passing from Longford saw Yoyo Mahdy pick the ball up on the left wing, he played in Ben Hanrahan who managed to get himself between Towns two centre backs and he blasted it past Jack Brady in the Longford Town goal.

Longford had a chance to equalize on 38 minutes when a corner from Darren Meenan was met in the air by Adam O’Connor but his header bounced inches wide.

Town started the second half with a purpose and it was only 3 minutes in when they equalized. Tristan Noack-Hofmanns header from a corner wasn’t dealt with, Conor Kearns in the UCD goal palming the ball out but into the path and off Longford’s Jackson Ryan who was in the right place at the right time as the ball ricocheted off his leg and into the UCD net.

UCD’s Yoyo Mahdy swung in a cross from the left on 49 minutes and it was met mid-air by Hanrahan but his shot was wide of the mark.

Jackson Ryan, who was Longford’s man of the match, almost got his hat-trick on the half hour mark when a cross from Darren Meenan went over the head of the UCD defenders but he failed to connect properly and his shot went over the bar.

Jackson Ryan, scorer of Town’s two goals on the night.

Evan Galvin was on the receiving end of a crunching tackle and had to be replaced. Neale Fenn will be hoping it’s not another addition to Longford’s ever growing injury list. Although on the bright side, Shane Elworthy and Peter Hopkins are expected back soon.

Michael McDonnell went close on 74 minutes when he got in behind the UCD backline but his header was over the bar.

Longford finally got the breakthrough they deserved on 80 minutes when a quick break saw Chris Mulhall lay it off to Dean Byrne 30 yards out, he turned and gave it to Jamie Hollywood who played in a perfect pass to the waiting Jackson Ryan who had gotten in between the two centre backs where he easily rounded Kearns and passed it into an empty net to put De Town into the lead.

UCD had one more chance on goal in the dying seconds of the game when substitute Jason McClelland rattled the cross bar from outside the box but it wasn’t enough as Longford Town edged out the game and progressed to the next round.

TEAM LINE-UPS

UCD: Kearns, Corcoran, Osam (sub: Dignam), Farrell, Boore, Crowley, Doyle, McDonald, Mahdy, Coffey (sub: McClelland), Hanrahan.
Sub not used: Williams, Tobin, O’Neill.

Longford Town: Brady, Noack-Hofmann, O’Connor, Galvin (Zambra), Hollywood, Chambers (sub: McDonnell), Byrne, Meenan (sub: Mulhall), Ryan, Ridge, McGlade.
Subs not used: Keller, O’Reilly, Verdon,

Attendance: 60 (est)

MATCH REPORT: Longford Town 1-2 Finn Harps

Sun Apr 29th 2018

Match Report by James Donnelly

Longford Town FC came into this game at City Calling Stadium riding a wave of confidence following a thrilling 1-0 victory over Shamrock Rovers in the second round of the EA Sports Cup last Tuesday night in Tallaght. Captain on the night Daniel O’Reilly knocking the south Dublin team out of the competition with a goal in the 89th minute. Donegal’s Finn Harps came to the Midlands following a 1-0 win over Cabinteely in Ballybofey last weekend courtesy of an 86th minute strike from Sam Todd. Ollie Horgan had been to every home game of Longford’s this season so the Northerners would have been well prepared.

Harps started the game well and caught De Town napping in the 6th minute. The ball came out to BJ Banda on the left flank whose cross to Mark Coyle allowed him to easily turn onto his right and slot it by Michael Kelly in the Longford goal, albeit with a little help from the post.

From that moment on, and indeed for the entirety of the game, it was all Longford Town. Aodh Dervin (who went off injured at half-time) picked up the ball in the centre of the field, he picked out Dylan McGlade whose shot from distance was just wide of the Finn Harps post.

Only moments later, centre back and captain once again, Daniel O’Reilly, found himself on the right wing. He crossed the ball in for Sam Verdon who headed it back into the path of number 9, Chris Mulhall. Mulhall hesitated somewhat but managed to get his shot off only for it to be cleared off the line by Harps’ Paddy McCourt.

Mulhall was in the thick of it once again on 24 minutes when midfielder Jamie Hollywood cut inside from the right wing and toe pocked it to Mulhall whose diagonal shot was saved by Harps net minder Gallagher.

On 30 minutes, McGlade went close again from Longford. This time, cutting inside from the left wing, he took a swerving shot from distance that left Gallagher flat footed in goal but it just went narrowly over the bar.

Tension was building and tempers flared over when Harps player Michael O’Connor appeared to recklessly challenge Town defender Karl Chambers in the 38th minute, a bit of pushing and shoving between a number of players ensued with Harps manager Ollie Horgan becoming very animated on the sideline. In the end, a yellow card was handed out to O’Connor for Harps. Alas, it wasn’t the last time that night that an O’Connor would receive a yellow, nor was it the end of some reckless challenges from the Harps players.

Longford had an appeal for a penalty turned down on 40 minutes. A botched clearance from Harps deflected back off Jamie Hollywood into the box where it appeared that number 5, Keith Cowan handled the ball but despite protests from Chris Mulhall and De Town faithful, the ref waved play on. Hollywood followed it up with a close range shot but it was parried away and eventually saved on the line by Gallagher.

Town eventually equalized just before the half time whistle. The ever lively Dylan McGlade again, picked the ball up on the left wing, he played a one-two with Sam Verdon and rifled his shot low into the bottom corner to leave Harps reeling going into the break.

Dylan McGlade, scorer of Town’s goal on 45 minutes

Half time saw De Town make one substitution, Aodh Dervin, who played magnificently in midfield, seemed to have been targeted by the Harps players and was on the receiving end of some outrageous challenges, one which left him with a bloody nose and one which eventually led to him needing to be replaced. Evan Galvin came on in his place.

The second half continued like the first. Longford had the majority of possession and chances but failed to capitalize on them.

Darren Meenan came close with a cross in the opening seconds that seemed to catch Gallagher out as he tipped it over the bar for a corner.

Town had another call for a penalty again from a possible handball in the 50th minute. A Town corner was headed across goal from Tristan Noack-Hofmann, the ball seemed to hit McCourt’s hand and then bounce off a Harps defender standing on the goal line. A number of Town players immediately called out for a penalty but to no avail. Watching the video footage after, it appeared that the ball did in fact hit McCourt’s hand but whether or not the ref had a clear view is another story.

Mark Coyle was lucky not to be sent off for Finn Harps in the 69th minute after a two footed tackle on Evan Galvin brought the Cork man down. The Harps players immediately swarmed the referee and eventually it was Ciaran O’Connor who received a yellow card, presumably for his animated protests. The resulting free kick was blocked and it fell to McGlade whose cross was met by Sam Verdon but his header was easily gathered by Gallagher.

It was beginning to look like it just wasn’t meant to be Longford’s night. A corner kick in the 73rd minute saw Michael McDonnell’s header get flicked on by substitute Dean Byrne but his effort was, yep, you guessed it, cleared off the line by a Harps defender.

A speculative effort from Tristan Noack-Hofmann followed by a close range shot from Dylan McGlade wasn’t enough to snatch a winner for Longford. Heartbreak came once again in the dying moments for Longford.

A free in from Harps in the 90th minute saw the ball go over Michael McDonnell’s head into the arms of Town keeper Michael Kelly who dropped the ball, the ball hit the back of McDonnell’s leg and fell into the path of Sam Todd who slotted it into an empty net. And that was it.

A frustrating night in City Calling Stadium for Neale Fenn & Co. However, De Town can take some positives from the game even if they are only small ones. Aodh Dervin, before going off injured was immense in the midfield, Dylan McGlade had a blinder and Karl Chambers put in a Man of the Match performance. De Town are creating so many chances and it was one mistake that turned the game. In the end, it could have been 5-1 to Longford but that’s football for you.

Aodh Dervin had another great game for De Town before going off injured.

TEAM LINE-UPS

Longford Town: Kelly, Chambers, McDonnell, O’Reilly (C), Noack-Hofmann, McGlade, Dervin (Galvin 45’), Holywood (Zambra 85’), Meenan, Verdon, Mulhall (Byrne 70’)

Subs not used: Brady, Ridge, Ryan, O’Connor.

Finn Harps: Gallagher, Coyle, Todd, Timlin, Cowan, O’Connor (O’Flynn 60’), Friel, Coll (C), McBride, Banda (Devers 72’), McCourt (Toland 66’)

Attendance: 458


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