Longwood repeated their recent HL Division 2 final win over O'Mahonys in this SHC round three clash at Trim on Sunday evening.

Longwood ...... 0-23
O'Mahonys ...... 2-13

Unlike the league decider eight days previous this was a close affair with goals in each half keeping the Navan-men in contention until stoppage time. 

However, their facility to post points left Longwood looking the more like winners throughout. Whenever James Burke's men rallied, Longwood were able to respond positively.

Making a central contribution to the outcome was Anthony Healy, who landed nine scores from placed balls, some from inside his own half. That included the final score of the game from the Longwood half in the third minute of added time. 

Mickey Burke scored six from play (five in the second-half) as well as making a telling contribution as a sweeper behind midfield. 

Sub Paddy Skehan ended up as O'Mahonys' top scorer. He opened his account with a goal from penalty in the 32nd minute awarded for foul on Mikey Kelly. 

Not even the temporary presence of Damien Healy in goals could prevent Skehan from tieing the scores, 2-5 to 0-11, for the only time.

Points from Burke and Anthony Healy (free) regained the lead for Longwood and they took it to the finish by which time they had registered 23 scores to O'Mahonys' 15.

Longwood's third win keeps them on course for the knockout stages. With one win to their credit, O'Mahonys are in a good position to retain their status. 

O'Mahonys too can extract some positives from this fixture, recovering well from a slow start to gain competitiveness with superior opponents.

Taking advantage of the elements blowing into the town goal, Longwood were first to show with Mickey Burke operating as a sweeper behind midfield. By the 10th minute the 'Wood were 0-6 to 0-1 ahead. 

Over the next 12 mintues O'Mahonys enjoyed their best spell of the opening 30 minutes, outscoring Longwood by 1-2 to 0-3. The highpoint of this spell was Mikey Kelly's 15th minute goal that trimmed the deficit to the minimum, 1-2 to 0-6. 

Longwood responded were to this setback with the next three scores including an Anthony Healy free from inside his own 65. Other notable moments for last year's IHC winners were David Quirke's 23rd minute point while in stoppage time O'Mahonys' captain Shane Crosby landed a free from inside his own half. 

O'Mahonys trailed by 1-5 to 0-11 at the break. Resuming on the front foot they made Longwood work hard to dig out a deserved win. 

Scorers: Longwood - Anthony Healy 0-9 (8fs, 1 65), Damien Healy 0-2, Ryan Moore 0-2, Eoin Lynch 0-1, Karl Ennis 0-1, Mickey Burke 0-6, Aaron Ennis 0-2
O'Mahonys - Paddy Skehan 1-6 (1-0 pen, 3fs, 1 65, Mikey Kelly 1-0, Jack Walsh 0-5 (2fs), Shane Crosby 0-1 (f), David Quirke 0-1.

Longwood - Ross Healy; Paul Gill, Chris Lynch, Johnny Furey; Joey Stenson, Eoin Lynch, Karl Ennis; Niall Mulvey, Anthony Healy; Damien Healy, Ryan Moore, Bob Maguire; Aaron Ennis, Michael Burke, Ross Kerrigan. Subs - Sean Sheridan for Maguire (40), Keith Masterson for Mulvey (56), Corran Byrne for Kerrigan (56)

O'Mahonys - John Gleeson; Dermot McKenna, Cormac Reilly, Ben McEntaggart; James Murphy, Kevin O'Rourke, Shane Crosby; Duggie Dillon, Evan Guilfoyle; Jack Walsh, Derek Loughran, Conor Fitzpatrick; Mikey Kelly, Richie Kelly, David Quirke. Subs - Mark Usher for Dillon (ht), Paddy Skehan for Fitzpatrick (ht), John Foley for Loughran (46), Patrick Leahy for Hogan (52), Brian Dunne for Quirke (60).

Referee - Bernard Heaney (Clann na nGael)

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