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Match Report: Cabinteely FC 2-0 Longford Town FC

Sat Jul 20th 2019

Match Report by James Donnelly

Longford Town missed out on all three points last night thanks to a Robert Manley brace that sealed the victory for Cabinteely in a tightly contested affair in Stradbrook.

De Town started the game brightly with Aaron Dobbs having the first major chance of the game after just 6 minutes. A long ball over the top was brought down by Sam Verdon who did well to play it into Dobbs in the box but his half-volley was straight at Stephen McGuinness in the Cabo goal who palmed it away to safety.

The home side pressured Longford and had a chance of their own on 24 minutes when a high ball was flashed across the box but Paul Fox’s connected header was high and over, much to the relief of Lee Steacy in goal.

Longford could have opened the scoring only minutes later when Conor Kenna snuck in un-marked at the back post and headed towards goal but it was easily gathered by McGuinness.

Cabinteely eventually got their goal after a period of sustained pressure on the Longford backline. Rob Manley got in between the defence and had his initial shot saved well by Lee Steacy but he recovered to slot it home from a tight angle to put Pat Devlin’s side in the driving seat after 36 minutes.

Town could have been on level terms just before half time when Karl Chambers played in Aaron Dobbs in the box but the Wexford’s man shot was blocked when it seemed destined for the goal.

The second half saw a number of changes for Longford with Aaron Dobbs and Karl Chambers being replaced by Dean Byrne and De Town’s newest signing, Sean Boyd. (On loan from Shamrock Rovers)

Sam Verdon had a chance on 58 minutes when he did well down the right side, getting into the box before shooting on goal, but again, it was straight at McGuinness.

Aodh Dervin, who put in a man of the match performance against Cabo. Pic: Ken Keenan

Verdon almost got an assist in the hour mark when he played in Sean Boyd. A brilliant move started by Aodh Dervin in midfield resulted in a expertly placed through ball releasing Verdon on the right before he squared it for Boyd in the box but the Rovers loanee hit the post from close range before it bounced off McGuinness’ back and was eventually cleared.

Cabo could have been two up when a ball over the top caught Mick McDonnell out and bounced over his head for Rob Manley to race onto but Town keeper Lee Steacy was quick off his line to smother the ball to safety.

Eight minutes from time, Verdon had a chance to level again but his header from an Anto Breslin corner was saved by McGuinness.

With 5 mins remaining, Longford threw everybody forward but it was the home side who would get the second goal of the game deep into injury time. Some sloppy play in defence led to Cabo sub Sasaki saw him play in Manley who did well to work it past Steacy to seal the win for the south Dublin side.

A disappointing result for De Town who are now in 3^rd place in the league and face Galway United at the City Calling Stadium next Saturday night in a must win game in the promotion race.

Dylan Grimes signs for De Town!

Thu Jul 4th 2019

Longford Town FC are delighted to announce that former Shelbourne player Dylan Grimes has signed for the club.

The 21 year old joins De Town from Sheriff YC having joined them last year after leaving Shelbourne in August 2018.

The midfielder joined the Drumcondra based club in 2014, signing for their 19’s side and made his first team competitive debut in 2015 under Kevin Doherty.

Speaking to LTFC.ie, Grimes explained how it was Manager Neale Fenn’s style of play that convinced him to join the red and black and that promotion is the end goal for himself and the team this year.

“One of the reasons I decided to sign for Longford is that Neale imposes on the team a style of play I enjoy – the right way to play football…the club has a great chance of winning the league so I hope to help in any way I can..to go and win it and gain automatic promotion, that’s the main goal for me…”

Dylan is available for selection for Friday night’s big game away to Limerick FC at Markets Field. Kick off is at 7:45PM.

You can purchase tickets online here: https://eventmaster.ie/event/5oDsQvsEz

Match Report: Shelbourne FC 1-0 Longford Town FC

Fri May 31st 2019

Match Report by James Donnelly

Longford Town players, staff and supporters will feel very disappointed leaving Tolka Park tonight after losing 1-0 to Shelbourne thanks to a 79^th minute penalty courtesy of Conan Byrne.

The home side started the better of the two teams, with James English hitting the post from a header in the 5^th minute before the ball was eventually cleared away by the Longford defence.

Shelbourne kept De Town pinned back for the opening 25 minutes or so before Longford started to come into the game. Dean Byrne, who was probably the Red and Black’s best performer on the night, laid it off to Anto Breslin on the left, he whipped in a cross that was headed just narrowly wide by Aaron Dobbs.

Only 10 minutes later, Byrne sent Breslin on his way again, this time the cross was pulled back for Sam Verdon but his shot went narrowly wide of the post.

Paul O’Conor was replaced by Jamie Hollywood just before half time after he picked up an injury.

The second half was all Longford Town. Neale Fenn’s side could have opened the scoring just 3 minutes in when Aaron Dobbs had a shot from close range but it was well saved by McCabe in the Shelbourne goal.

Longford really pressed the hosts back and had another chance on 57 minutes. Dean Byrne again going close but not close enough. He took a high ball down brilliantly before turning his man but his shot was high over the bar.

Shels struggled to get a foothold in the second half and had scarce opportunities to score as the game progressed. Some great pressure from Shane Elworthy and Aodh Dervin was causing the home side problems and they began to aimlessly hit it out of play.

Longford missed another opportunity just after the hour mark when Dean Byrne again beat his man and foud himself in space before laying it off to Sam Verdon who’s shot was hit straight into the hands of McCabe.

It felt as if it was not going to be De Town’s night and on 79 minutes, Shels got the winner. A challenge by Peter Hopkins was deemed a foul and a penalty was awarded. Conan Byrne stepped up and coolly slotted it into the bottom corner.

Longford bombarded the Shels goal with wave after wave of attack for the remaining minutes but it wasn’t to be as the final whistle blew with the home side gaining all 3 points in a game that De Town didn’t deserve to lose but will rue their missed chances.

TEAM LINE-UPS

Shelbourne: McCabe, Friel, Fitzgerald, Marku, Brennan, Farrell, Rooney, Brennan, English (replaced by Byrne), Moore (replaced by Noone), Kilduff.

Subs: Delany, O’Hanlon, Moorehouse, McKenna, Connolly,

Longford Town: Lee Steacy, Shane Elworthy, Mick McDonnell, Conor Kenna, Anto Breslin, Sam Verdon, Paul O’Conor (replaced by Jamie Hollywood), Aodh Dervin, Dean Zambra (replaced by Jamie Doyle), Dean Byrne, Aaron Dobbs (replaced by Peter Hopkins).

Subs: Jack Menton, Karl Chambers, Joe Manley, Sean Brennan.

Match Report: Longford Town FC 3-1 Athlone Town AFC

Sat May 25th 2019

Match Report by Tony Ghee

Longford Town moved up to second place in the First Division table just a point behind leaders Shelbourne, after a brace from Dean Byrne and a penalty from Sam Verdon earned Neale Fenn’s charges a three-one victory over Midland rivals Athlone Town at the City Calling Stadium.

The home side took the lead on the quarter-hour mark when Verdon was inexplicably shoved over by Athlone centre-half Ciaran Grogan. Verdon dusted himself down, and calmly despatched the penalty, sending keeper Aaron Myles the wrong way.

Longford’s lead was very short-lived as Athlone were back on level terms within two minutes as the home defence were caught napping. Longford failed to properly clear a left-wing cross from Kaleem Simon, allowing Aaron Brilly to slip the ball through to striker Dean Williams and he poked home the equaliser.

Longford regained the lead on thirty-one minutes when Dean Zambra’s corner resulted in Kealan Dillon’s poor headed clearance being put back into the Athlone box by Paul O’Connor and Byrne brilliantly finished to the Athlone net.

The ‘Red & Black’ almost scored a third on thirty-eight minutes but Anto Breslin’s twenty-five yard free-kick struck the Athlone crossbar.

Longford Town started the second-half in whirlwind fashion and were again denied by the woodwork just four minutes after the resumption. Verdon’s exquisite curling shot from just outside the box on the left came back-off the far post and was gathered at the second attempt by Athlone keeper Myles despite being under pressure from O’Connor.

Dean Byrne grabbed his second of the contest and Longford’s third on fifty-three minutes when he created space for himself before rifling his shot to the Athlone net.

The home side created another good chance in the sixty-fifth minute. Aaron Dobbs released Byrne down the left, he skipped past Evan White, got to the end-line and whipped in a cross that was headed narrowly wide by Verdon.

Byrne was denied his hat-trick on seventy-seven minutes when he weaved his way into the Athlone box from the left only for his effort to be saved by Athlone stopper Myles.

TEAM LINE-UPS

Longford Town: Steacy, Elworthy, McDonnell, Kenna, Breslin, Zambra, Verdon, Dervin, O’Conor, Byrne, Dobbs.
Substitutions: Chambers for Verdon & Hollywood for Zambra (both 72 minutes)

Athlone Town: Myles, White, Buckley, Grogan, Casey, Kearney, Hogan, Brilly, Dillon, Simon, Williams.
Substitutions: Stokes for Hogan (63 minutes), Lotefa for Dillon (76 minutes)

Referee: Garvin Taggert