Tag: match preview

MATCH PREVIEW: Sligo Rovers v Longford Town (FAI Cup First Round)

Sat Aug 11th 2018

Match Preview by James Donnelly

Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup First Round
Sligo Rovers FC v Longford Town FC

Saturday 11th August 2018

The Showgrounds • 7.45PM

Sligo Rovers and Longford Town FC face off tonight in the first round of the FAI Cup. In a repeat of last years first round clash, Gerard Lyttle’s side will be hoping to gain revenge after they were sent crashing out of the tournament after extra time at the City Calling Stadium last time out.

Longford won 4-2 after extra time thanks to goals from Karl Chambers, Sam Verdon, Kealan Dillon and Peter Hopkins. Dillon has since moved on to pastures new but Chambers, Verdon and Hopkins are all available for selection.

Looking at both clubs current form, Sligo come into tonight’s game off the back of a 1-0 loss at home to Derry in the EA Sports Cup Semi-Final. Only a few days previously, they had made the trip up to the Brandywell for a league fixture and left with all 3 points. Sitting third from bottom in the Premier Division, the West Coast side have had struggled at times. Much like ourselves in the league, they have shown they can be a good footballing side at times but they have also shown they are vulnerable in areas. With that being said, Sligo boss Gerard Lyttle knows that they can’t underestimate Longford. Speaking to Sligo Rovers official website, he commented: “Longford turned us over last year and we know they are a good side. Neale has them playing a good brand of football, out from the back, and they’re up there challenging for the play-off spots. We know the dangers and I don’t think complacency will be an issue for us. I do feel we’re stronger this year and that’s no disrespect to any players here before. However, it’s up to us to go out and put the performance in. I think if we keep playing like we have been that we can win games and that’s the job for the lads on Saturday.”

Sam Verdon celebrates scoring his goal along with Karl Chambers during last year’s Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup First Round win over Sligo Rovers at the City Calling Stadium last year.

Sligo Rovers and Longford Town FC face off tonight in the first round of the FAI Cup. In a repeat of last years first round clash, Gerard Lyttle’s side will be hoping to gain revenge after they were sent crashing out of the tournament after extra time at the City Calling Stadium last time out.

Longford won 4-2 after extra time thanks to goals from Karl Chambers, Sam Verdon, Kealan Dillon and Peter Hopkins. Dillon has since moved on to pastures new but Chambers, Verdon and Hopkins are all available for selection.

Looking at both clubs current form, Sligo come into tonight’s game off the back of a 1-0 loss at home to Derry in the EA Sports Cup Semi-Final. Only a few days previously, they had made the trip up to the Brandywell for a league fixture and left with all 3 points. Sitting third from bottom in the Premier Division, the West Coast side have had struggled at times. Much like ourselves in the league, they have shown they can be a good footballing side at times but they have also shown they are vulnerable in areas. With that being said, Sligo boss Gerard Lyttle knows that they can’t underestimate Longford. Speaking to Sligo Rovers official website, he commented: “Longford turned us over last year and we know they are a good side. Neale has them playing a good brand of football, out from the back, and they’re up there challenging for the play-off spots. We know the dangers and I don’t think complacency will be an issue for us. I do feel we’re stronger this year and that’s no disrespect to any players here before. However, it’s up to us to go out and put the performance in. I think if we keep playing like we have been that we can win games and that’s the job for the lads on Saturday.”

Longford Town come into tonight’s game off the back of a comfortable 2-0 win over Athlone Town at the City Calling Stadium last week. While that game went off without a hitch, De Town’s last few weeks have been anything but easy. Losing 4 out of 6 in the month of July, Neale Fenn’s side have struggled to find consistent form in the second half of the season. While we are still very much in the mix for a promotion playoff spot, Longford will need to find the form they showed in beating league leaders UCD 5-1 earlier in the season. Speaking briefly to LTFC.ie, Neale Fenn said he feels Longford can win the game and won’t fear Sligo. Having beaten the home side last year and it being the cup, anything can happen.

In terms of team news for Longford, Jamie Doyle is suspended for the game while Dean Byrne is still on the injury list.

For Sligo, Gary Boylan is the only loss as he is still recovering from a long-term cruciate ligament injury.

Kick off at the Showgrounds tonight is 7.45pm.

Safe travels to all Longford supporters making the trip to Sligo.

#CmonDeTown!

MATCH PREVIEW: Longford Town v Wexford FC

Thu Jul 19th 2018

Preview by Tony Ghee

Longford Town aim to bounce back from two successive league defeats when they host Wexford FC at the City Calling Stadium on Saturday night at 7.30pm.


Longford Town had built momentum for a title charge when they followed up their one-nil victory at home to Drogheda with a mesmerising 5-1 triumph away to league leaders UCD at the Bowl in their first game back after the summer break. However, a 2-1 home loss to Cobh and last week’s demoralising 3-0 defeat away to Harps has seen Neale Fenn’s charges drop to sixth in the table and their title ambitions ended as they are now in a dogfight to secure a play-off berth.

The visitors to the City Calling Stadium have struggled this season and are currently managerless after  having parted company with previous boss Damian Locke. Wexford are second bottom in the table with 15 points, while sixth place Longford have 32 points and are 3 points behind Shels who are in the final play-off spot.

As well as losing their last two league matches, Longford also exited the Leinster Senior Cup on Monday night last suffering a 2-1 defeat at home to Shelbourne. Before losing 3-0 last weekend at home to leaders UCD, the Slaneysiders had taken seven points out of a possible nine in their previous three league outings. They held Galway to a 0-0 draw at Ferrycarrig Park before recording back-to-back victories away to Athlone (1-0) as well as an impressive 2-1 triumph away to Cabinteely.

Longford Town have the upper hand on Wexford FC this season winning both league meetings to date. In their first clash at the City Calling Stadium, the ‘Red & Back’ ran out 3-0 winners, as a brace from Mulhall and a goal from McGlade sealed the three points, and the Town also won the encounter at Ferrycarrig Park 2-0 as Hollywood and Mulhall found the Wexford net.

A victory is an absolute must for the home side to get their promotion push back on track and if they play to their potential, then a victory will be achieved, however, the Town’s inconsistency this season, especially in games that they are expected to win, means that Wexford are more than capable of leaving the City Calling Stadium with a point.

Speaking to Andrew Dempsey for LTFC.ie, new signing Dean Dillon said ‘We know that we need to win the game if we are to get back into the promotion race. The game is even more important now especially after our last two games in the league. I personally think that Wexford are going to sit in against us so it’s going to be another tough game. We need to go about our business and be patient about it. We will play the way that we normally do and it’s vital that we win it like all the rest of our games between now and the end of the season.”


On the team news front, both Shane Elworthy and Sam Verdon should recover from their knocks from Monday night’s Leinster Cup game but definitely out are Alan Kehoe, Peter Hopkins, and Dean Byrne, while Chris Mulhall is rated doubtful.

MATCH PREVIEW: Longford Town v Drogheda United

Thu Jun 14th 2018

Preview by Andrew Dempsey

After two consecutive away trips to Ballybofey and Cabinteely, Longford Town will be returning to home comforts for the first time in 14 days as Neale Fenn’s side welcome Tim Clancy’s Drogheda United to the City Calling Stadium in a colossal First Division clash on Friday evening. Kick-off is at 7.45pm.

After last week’s disappointment at Stradbrook, Longford Town will be keen to get back to winning ways as the Red and Black look to catapult themselves back into the Playoff places before the mid-season break.

As for our opponents Drogheda, they will also be looking to bounce back with a big win after Tim Clancy’s side fell to a bitterly disappointing two nil defeat against top of the table UCD at the UCD Bowl last week. A brace from the in-form Georgie Kelly sealed the deal for the Students on that occasion.

Last time we met Drogheda United, Neale Fenn’s side played out an entertaining one-all draw as Ciaran Kelly popped up with a late, late strike to break Town hearts on Boyneside after Dean Byrne’s sumptuous thirty-yard strike looked to have sealed the deal for De Town at United Park.

After having our recent unbeaten run snapped by Cabinteely last week, Neale Fenn will surely be hoping that his side can bounce back from last week’s defeat, and with good measure too, as the last time his side fell to defeat away from home, they won the very next home game which was the 5-1 derby day demolition job win over Athlone Town at the City Calling Stadium.

In terms of team news for De Town, Evan Galvin and Darren Meenan must sit out this vital clash due to suspensions picked up in recent games while Alan Kehoe and Cian Byrne remain out with injuries.

In a game that promises to be a fantastic footballing spectacle, be sure to get out and support the Red and Black of Longford Town in our final game before the mid-season break at the City Calling Stadium.


Match Preview: Longford Town FC v Galway United

Fri Jun 1st 2018

SSE Airtricity League First Division

Longford Town FC v Galway United
Friday 1st June 2018
City Calling Stadium, 7.45pm

by James Donnelly

The last time De Town and the Tribesmen met, both clubs played out an entertaining scoreless draw at Eamonn Deacy Park, in a game where local star Aodh Dervin shined, both managers, in particular Town’s Neale Fenn, felt that they could have nicked a winner. A good result away for Longford Town all the same.

Coming into tonight’s game off the back of a disappointing away draw against Athlone Town, Longford will be looking for all 3 points to put them back in the run of things for a play-off spot come the end of the season. Luckily enough with the way league results have gone, Longford have not fallen behind by much. Galway are only 4 points ahead of us going into the game, albeit 3 places ahead on the table, so a win for De Town is a must.

Galway come to the City Calling Stadium off the back of a frustrating 1-0 loss at home to Drogheda United last week. Shane Keegan’s men have been doing well however, currently sitting pretty in 3rd place, they’re only 5 points behind league leaders UCD.

Longford’s Shane Elworthy pictured in action against former Town player Ryan Connolly during the club’s last encounter at Eamonn Deacy Park in March.

Longford Town will be looking to the likes of Daniel O’Reilly, Aodh Dervin and Dean Byrne tonight, should Dean get his chance to go in, with Town striker Chris Mulhall suspended after receiving a straight red in last week’s draw with Athlone. The experience of O’Reilly along with the creativity of Dervin in midfield may prove crucial in tonight’s game.

Galway have former Longford Town player Ryan Connolly in the centre of the field. Connolly, who is club captain, is one of Galways top players, and the Westerners will be looking to his leadership to guide them to a win. Throw in the the possibility of the always threatening Danny Furlong and Town’s defence will have their hands full.

De Town will have to do without Peter Hopkins, Adam O’Connor, Shane O’Connor, Cian Byrne and Alan Kehoe who all remain on the injured list. Chris Mulhall misses out through suspension. Galway are still missing Alan Conway (injured) while prolific goal scorer Danny Furlong remains doubtful along with Tadgh Ryan.

Kick off tonight is 7.45pm

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