Longford Town FC • Official Website
EA SPORTS National Underage League U19 Group B Sunday, July 18th Longford Town 0-1 Athlone Town EA SPORTS National Underage League U17 Group A Saturday, July 17th Longford Town 1-1 Derry City Owen Elding with the Town goal. Rory O’Donnell with Derry equaliser late on. EA SPORTS National Underage League U15 Group B Sunday, July
The brilliant Longford Town Supporters Club have set up a GoFundMe page in order to raise funds to help out the club with running costs, etc after a difficult period due to COVID-19. Any donation would be much appreciated. Thank you for your support, here’s the link if you’d like to donate, and feel free
Longford Town will be looking to avoid a potential banana skin when they host an awkward Wexford FC side in the SSE Airtricity League First Division tonight, kick-off is at 7.30pm.
Despite sitting bottom of the second tier at present, Wexford FC have dramatically improved on their showings from last season, when heavy beatings and an uncompetitive nature were regular occurrences for the South-East based outfit. This year, under the watch of rookie manager Brian O’Sullivan, Wexford FC have been more than competitive, even against sides that dwarf the amateurs of Wexford in terms of budget and resources. You only have to ask Bray Wanderers, who Wexford turned over earlier this season how big of a danger underestimating this side can be.
That win over Bray is just one of two for O’Sullivan’s team this season with the other victory coming at home to Athlone Town, who sit just two points ahead of Wexford ahead of the latest round of First Division fixtures.
As for the hosts, Longford Town come into this latest home fixture off the back of a nervy win over Galway United on Bank Holiday Monday, as Neale Fenn’s troops appeared to take their foot off the gas in the second half, almost costing the Midlanders a vital three points. First half goals from Dean Byrne & Sam Verdon were enough to ensure Galway’s second half strike was nothing more than a conciliation but Fenn is sure to demand a more consistent showing across the ninety-minutes from his players tonight.
Underestimation of Wexford FC simply won’t be a concern for the Town management, given the major fright Longford received in the first meeting away to Wexford earlier this season. Going behind to a Danny Furlong goal, Town eventually rallied late to come away from Ferrycarrig Park with a crucial 2-1 victory but to say it wasn’t pretty would be a major understatement.
That result was built off determination, belief and character and while those attributes are of the upmost importance for any side with title ambitions, a more assured performance from a Town team, who will enter the game as heavy favourites, would be more than welcomed by the home faithful.
With league leaders, Shelbourne away to Bray Wanderers at 3pm today, Longford Town’s players will already know ahead of kick-off if they can go top of the table with a win tonight, however, with just Bray Wanderers to face (away) before the mid-season break, no team with title ambitions can afford to lose ground at this vital stage of the season.
Action pic from Town’s 2-1 victory at Ferrycarrig Park, earlier this season. Pic: Ken Keenan
The long wait is finally over as on Friday night, Longford Town will finally return to competitive action with a trip to the Market Fields to tackle recently relegated Limerick FC on the opening night of the 2019 SSE Airtricity League First Division.
So much has happened since “De Town” ended their 2018 campaign with a draw at home to champions UCD. Sadly, there have been some big name departures in the likes of Mick Kelly, Daniel O’Reilly, Sam Verdon and of course last season’s top scorer, Dylan McGlade. However, manager Neale Fenn has once again spread the net far and wide in terms of recruitment and in the likes of Lee Steacy, Anto Breslin, Conor Kenna and Aaron Dobbs to name a few, the former Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers star looks to have picked up some potential gems.
Anto Breslin, just one of Town’s signings through the close season.
In full, Longford Town have added no less than twelve new names to the squad during the course of a very long off-season and with some valuable pre season encounters against the Ireland’s very best in Shamrock Rovers, Bohemians, Cork City, Dundalk, Sligo Rovers and Cliftonville, it is hoped the squad can gel together quickly and get off to a flying start in what will undoubtedly be one of the toughest First Divisions in many a year.
Friday’s opponents, Limerick have had something of a turbulent few months. However, despite relegation last term, popular boss Tommy Barrett has been able to add some real experience to his ranks with former Longford midfielder, Sean Russell, re-joining the club after time abroad, while Robbie Williams and Darren Murphy are names most League of Ireland followers will be familiar with from recent years.
While Neale Fenn appears to have opted for a particularly young group once again this season, Tommy Barrett appears to have attempted to find a winning formula of youth and experience, with youngsters Aaron Fitzgerald and Karl O’Sullivan highly rated by many on Shannonside.
The Muster outfit played a number of locally based friendlies during pre-season, comulating in a 2-1 victory over the Irish army side just a few days ago. Whether Longford’s run outs against higher calibre opposition translate into a quicker start out of the blocks on Friday night remains to be seen but Neale Fenn must be pleased by the selection headache he is likely to have on opening night.
Jamie Hollywood, continuing his fight back from injury.
In terms of injuries, Jamie Hollywood has managed to get some minutes under his belt in pre-season as he continues his fight back from a serious knee injury picked up in Galway last season, while Dean Byrne is also back on track after an early end to his 2018 campaign. Peter Hopkins is another key man who suffered injury woes last season but again, the winger has picked up some minutes in recent weeks. New signing from Dundalk, Carlton Ubaezuonu is the squad’s only absentee ahead of opening night, having not featured in the lead up to the new campaign, while there are no suspensions to worry about this weekend.
There is no team news available for the hosts, but what we do know is picking up early points could prove vital to Neale Fenn’s side given the difficult fixtures thrown out by the FAI’s computer. After a long trip to the Market Fields, Longford Town will play in front of their own fans next Saturday as last season’s play off rivals, Drogheda United come to the City Calling Stadium.
Kick off in Limerick on Friday night is 7.45pm and Jason Mannix will oversee the opening night’s festives with the whistle in his hand.