Tag: ltfc

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

PICTURES BY TIERNAN DOLAN



Match Preview: Drogheda United FC v Longford Town FC

Thu May 2nd 2019

SSE Airtricity League First Division
Drogheda United FC v Longford Town FC
Friday 3rd May 2019
United Park | Kick-off 7.45pm

Match Preview By Kieran Burke (@kieranBTS)

Longford Town travel to County Louth on Friday night looking to banish the demons of last season, as De Town fell at the finish in the race for the play-offs against Drogheda United, Fridays hosts. A come from behind 2-1 win in the penultimate game of last season effectively secured the Drogs position in the play-offs, where Tim Clancy’s charges missed out on promotion after a dramatic two-legged tie against Shelbourne, who went on to lose in the final against Finn Harps.

With all that in mind, it has been a dramatic shift in form for both Longford and Drogheda United to start to 2019 First Division campaign with Longford Town currently the only unbeaten side in the League of Ireland, while Drogheda have struggled for consistency at times, leaving the 2007 Premier Division champions sitting in 4th place, four points behind Neale Fenn’s league leaders.

Captain Dean Zambra and Defender Mick McDonnell pictured in action last season against Drogheda United at the City Calling Stadium.

Drogheda United had a fantastic win on the road last weekend, traveling all the way down to St.Colman’s Park and coming away with an ultra-impressive 4-1 victory over Cobh Ramblers, while Longford showed their battling qualities in a scrappy 1-0 home triumph over a stubborn Limerick side. Dean Byrne was the match winner last Saturday for De Town and the former Hardwicke star will be hoping his stunning strike can kick start his 2019 campaign, having only returned to full fitness after a long term layoff last season.

In fact, Byrne was on the score-sheet with yet another sublime long range strike at United Park last season in a game De Town really should have won, conceding a 94th minute equalizer in a 1-1 draw. Ciaran Kelly was the Drogheda hero that night and the departure of the talented full back to St.Patrick’s Athletic has been a very difficult challenge for Tim Clancy and co to overcome at the start of this campaign. Double goal scorer in that crucial 2-1 win at the tail end of last season, Gareth McCaffrey has also since departed United Park and the strikers absence has clearly left Drodgeda lacking some cutting edge up front at times this year.

All in all, given Longford Town’s record breaking start to the 2019 season, many will fancy Neale Fenn’s team to repeat the win claimed over Drodgeda at City Calling Stadium earlier this season, a 3-0 victory that time, but having only lost at home once this season, Droghda will be yet another major test of De Town’s title credentials going forward.

Team News: Neale Fenn has a full selection of players to choose from.

Match Report: Cobh Ramblers FC 0-0 Longford Town FC

Sat Apr 20th 2019

Match Report by James Donnelly

SSE Airtricity League First Division
Cobh Ramblers FC 0-0 Longford Town
Saturday 20th April 2019, 7.00pm, St. Colman’s Park

Ramblers and De Town played out a fairly even 0-0 draw at St. Colman’s Park in Cobh tonight in a game that neither team fully deserved to win.

With Sam Verdon ruled out through injury, Dean Byrne slotted into the team with Carlton Ubaezuonu taking a place on the bench for the first time this season.

Both teams opened the game cautiously, creating little in the opening minutes. It was Longford with the first chance though as Conor Kenna’s header from a corner was tipped over the bar by Mylod in the Cobh goal.

On 33 minutes Dean Byrne almost opened the scoring for De Town. Shooting from just outside the box, his shot was saved by Mylod who tipped it out for a corner. Only a few minutes later, Byrne had an opportunity again but his shot inside the box was blocked by a Cobh body.

Cobh had the best chance of the first half on 40 minutes. A dangerous free kick floated in by former Town player Shane O’Connor was cleared but only as far as another Cobh man, the ball was whipped back in and headed on for Jaze Kabia who stuck a leg onto the end of it, it hit the Town post and was collected by Lee Steacy.

The second half was pretty much the same. Peter Hopkins had a chance on 52 minutes when he turned his man inside the box and shot but his left foot strike was the wrong side of the post and it went out for a goal kick.

Town goalkeeper Lee Steacy was deemed to have handled the ball outside the box on 71 minutes. The resulting free kick came to nothing and Cobh were left to rue their chances.

On a major positive note, Carlton Ubaezuonu made his debut for Longford, coming on in place of Adam Evans. The former Galway and Dundalk man caused problems for Cobh on the left wing.

Carlton Ubaezuonu, who made his competitive debut for De Town tonight.

Cobh forced a save out of Lee Steacy on 78 minutes but that proved to be the final major chance of the game for the home side.

Carlton went close for De Town in the dying minutes, forcing a save out of Mylod but it wasn’t to be as both teams had to settle for a share of the spoils.

TEAM LINE-UPS

Cobh Ramblers: Mylod, Taylor, McSweeney, O’Riordan, O’Connor, O’Connor, Kenny, Turner, Hurley, Fernandez, Kabia.

Subs: Hunt, O’Rourke, West, O’Leary, O’Driscoll.

Longford Town: Steacy, Elworthy, McDonnell, Kenna, Breslin, Hopkins, Dervin, Zambra, Byrne, Brennan, Evans.

Subs: Menton, Ubaezuonu (Evans), O’Conor (Brennan), Hollywood, Noack-Hofmann, Chambers, Manley.

Attendance: 140 est.

Match Preview: Cobh Ramblers FC v Longford Town FC

Sat Apr 20th 2019

Match Preview by James Donnelly

SSE Airtricity League First Division
Cobh Ramblers FC v Longford Town FC
Saturday 20th April 2019 | 7.00pm
St. Colman’s Park

The red and black make the long trip to Cork today to take on Cobh Ramblers at St. Colman’s Park with a 7.00pm kick off in the seaside town.

Neale Fenn’s side come into tonight’s game unbeaten and having only conceded twice since the start of the season. A dominant display against Bray last weekend saw De Town earn a comfortable 2-0 win at the City Calling Stadium. Impressive form has seen Longford climb the league table and should we get another win tonight, the team will remain on top for another week.

Cobh have had an ok start to the season but have been impressing lately and will prove worthy opponents tonight as Stephen Henderson’s men look to continue their decent run of form. They had a great victory away to Galway last week, winning 2-1 courtesy of goals from the in-form Jaze Kabia and Maurice Nugent. They also had fine wins over Shels, Limerick (league cup) and Wexford since the start of the season and will be looking to gain a bit of consistency now with a performance against Longford tonight.

LTFC Manager Neale Fenn spoke to Tony Ghee last week about the upcoming fixture against Cobh…

“The few times we’ve gone down there, or since I’ve gone down there, we’ve found it difficult but you know, there’s no easy games in this league, you know. As long as we take care of ourselves, respect the opposition, we should be OK.”

In terms of injury news, Aaron Dobbs is out for Longford.

Like Us On Facebook

Longford Town Football Club

@LongfordTownFC Tweets


© 2020 LONGFORD TOWN FC | All rights reserved.