Tag: sse airtricity league

MATCH REPORT: Cobh Ramblers 1-3 Longford Town

Sat Sep 21st 2019

Match Report by Tony Ghee

Cobh Ramblers 1 (Cian Leonard ’32)
Longford Town 3 (Adam Evans ’24, ’58, Dean Byrne ’48)

Longford Town ended the regular league season with a three-one victory over Cobh Ramblers at St. Colman’s Park, to finish in third place, just behind second placed Drogheda on goal difference in the final league table.

The victory ensures second leg home advantage for the Town ahead of their October play-off against fourth placed Cabinteely who ended the regular season with a win away to Wexford FC.

Longford Town took the lead on twenty-four minutes with the game’s first real opportunity courtesy of a fine finish from winger Adam Evans.

A right-wing cross from Peter Hopkins was brilliantly controlled by Evans just inside the Cobh box, he danced to the right past defender Fleming and superbly drilled a low shot to the bottom left corner of the Cobh net.

The home side equalised on thirty-two minutes when striker Cian Leonard converted a penalty, after Town defender Joe Manley had brought down Ian Turner.

The Town regained the lead just three minutes after the resumption, after a fine flowing move
resulted in Dean Byrne firing home a brilliant shot from the edge of the Cobh box from a Hopkins left-wing cross.

The Midlanders increased their lead on fifty-eight minutes when Evans scored his second goal of the contest, heading home from Hopkins inswinging corner, to put the visitors three-one up.

The Town should have gone further ahead on sixty-eight minutes. A sublime, quick-footed move involving Byrne, Jack Doherty, Evans and Hopkins, ended with Evans cross being headed narrowly wide at the back post by Hopkins.

Longford Town’s promotion play-off first leg away to Cabinteely FC will take place at Stradbrook on Friday, October 4th, while Longford will host the second leg at the City Calling Stadium on Friday, October 11th.

Team Line-Ups

Cobh Ramblers (4-4-1-1): Hunt, Fleming, O’Riordan, Lyons, Taylor, Henry, Hurley, Turner, Lamb, Foley, Leonard.
Substitutes: Murphy for Lamb (64 minutes), Cronin for Foley (64 minutes)

Longford Town (4-2-1-2-1) or (4-3-3): Steacy, Manley, Kenna, Noack-Hoffman, Zambra, O’Connor, Doherty, Byrne, Hopkins, Evans, Dobbs.
Substitutes: McCabe for Doherty (79 minutes), O’Neill for Hopkins (85 minutes), Ubaezuonu for Dobbs (89 minutes)

MATCH PREVIEW: Cobh Ramblers v Longford Town

Sat Sep 21st 2019

Match Preview by Tony Ghee

Longford Town travel down south for their final league game of the season against Cobh Ramblers at St. Colman’s Park this Saturday evening with the game commencing at 7.45pm.

Cobh will finish the season in seventh place regardless of Saturday evening’s result, while a victory will gaurantee a third place finish for Daire Doyle’s charges which will ensure home advantage for the second-leg of the forthcoming promotion play-off tie with Cabinteely FC.

Town go into the contest on the back of a controversial two-one home defeat against Bray Wanderers last weekend, a game that resulted in Longford controversially finishing with just nine players at the final whistle after the dismissals of Karl Chambers and Anto Breslin. Dean Byrne had put Longford ahead before Bray’s comeback win.

Cobh impressively held Cabinteely FC to a one-all draw in their last home game, however, the Ramblers endured a heavy seven-one defeat away to Galway United last time out. Just like Longford, Cobh also finished that game with nine players after red cards were shown to Stephen O’Leary and Kevin Taylor after Cian Leonard had actually given the Cork side the lead.

In the earlier meetings between the sides this season, the first encounter ended in a scoreless draw, while the Town narrowly won the clash at the City Calling Stadium one-nil, courtesy of a Sam Verdon strike just after the half-hour mark.

Longford will be missing several players for the game as Karl Chambers, Anto Breslin, and Aodh Dervin are all suspended. Sean Boyd, Dylan Grimes and Mick McDonnell are all out injured, while Sam Verdon is doubtful with a minor knock.



Longford Town 1-2 Bray Wanderers

Sun Sep 15th 2019

Bray Wanderers defeated nine men Longford 2-1 tonight at the City Calling Stadium.

A goal from John Martin and a penalty from Dean Williams in the 88th minute saw Gary Cronin’s side steal it in Longford after a defiant Town team held out with 10 men before Shane Elworthy fouled in the box for Bray’s winner.

Longford took the lead through Dean Byrne on 10 minutes when he pounced on a loose ball in the box from Luka Lovic and slotted it by Hayden in the Bray goal.

Karl Chambers was harshly sent off for a second yellow 25 minutes in and that gave Longford an uphill battle. The seagulls got their equalizer right before half time taking advantage of the extra man, John Martin finished up a well worked move when he tapped in from close range.

Bray dominated possession in large parts of the second half but Longford held strong and could have taken the lead through Jack Doherty and Dean Byrne.

Bray finally got their winner n 88 minutes when Shane Elworthy was deemed to have pushed a Bray man in the penalty area. Anto Breslin was sent off in the aftermath and Dean Williams converted the spot kick to give Bray all three points.

(Match report by SSE Airtricity League website)

Team Line-Ups

Longford Town: Lee Steacy, Anto Breslin, Shane Elworthy, Conor Kenna, Karl Chambers, Jack Doherty, Dylan Grimes (Adam Evans ’70), Michael McDonnell, Dean Zambra, Dean Byrne, Sean Boyd (Peter Hopkins ’63).

Pictures by Tiernan Dolan



Preview: Longford Town v Bray Wanderers

Fri Sep 13th 2019

Match Preview by Tony Ghee

This Saturday night at 7.30pm in the City Calling Stadium, Longford Town host play-off chasing Bray Wanderers in their last home league game of the regular season.

The home side secured their play-off berth with two games to spare after defeating Wexford FC away in Ferrycarrig Park by two goals to nil, as goals in each half from Dean Byrne on twenty-six minutes and Aaron Dobbs on fifty-one minutes secured the crucial three points for Daire Doyle’s ‘Red & Black’ army.

The last play-off place is between Saturday night’s visitors and Cabinteely FC with the South Dubliners currently holding a four point advantage over the Wicklow outfit, so a Cabinteely victory at home to Athlone Town tonight will seal the final play-off berth for them.

Last time out Bray recorded an away draw with leaders Shelbourne at Tolka Park and they possess talented players who can cause Longford problems with the likes of Dean Williams, Sean Heaney, and former Town favourite, Dylan McGlade in their ranks.

The teams have met twice in the league this season with both sides recording home victories. Back in April, goals from Town defender Mick McDonnell and winger Peter Hopkins earned a two-nil victory for Longford at the City Calling Stadium.

Dean Byrne celebrates scoring against Bray during the clubs’ previous meeting at the Carlisle Grounds. Pic: Ken Keenan

However, Bray exacted revenge in June at the Carlisle Grounds, when they stunned Longford with two late goals to win by three goals to two, despite trailing on eighty-eight minutes.

Derek Daly put the Seagulls ahead in the fifth minute, but Dean Byrne’s equalizer on thirty-one minutes had the contest level at the interval.

A Luke Nolan own goal on eighty-five minutes put Longford two-one up, but two defenders won the game for Bray. Killian Cantwell on eighty-eight minutes and Hugh Douglas deep into injury time secured the come-back victory for Gary Cronin’s team.

Former Longford Town midfielder Phillip Gannon is playing for Bray this season while manager Gary Cronin is fondly remembered by the Longford Town fans having been at the club as both a player and a coach.

On the team news front, both Aodh Dervin and Sam Verdon are suspended, while midfielder Paul O’Connor is rated doubtful.


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