NFL4: Longford ease past Roscommon
April 23, 2011
Longford captain Paul Barden lifts the Allianz FL Division 4 trophy after his side defeated Roscommon in the final at Croke Park ©INPHO/Donall Farmer
A run of nine successive points (two of them before the break) in a devastating 15-minute spell between the 35th and 50th minutes sealed victory for Glenn Ryan's men.
Roscommon never recovered from the early loss of Senan Kilbride through injury, although Cathal Cregg was excellent for the losers. On the evidence of this display, Fergal O'Donnell has plenty to think about before next weekend's championship trip to New York.
Two late Sean McCormack pointed frees gave Longford a two-point interval cushion, 2-2 to 1-3. It was poor enough fare from both sides (with 17 first-half wides between them) in energy-sapping conditions but the first half was lit up by excellent goals from Martin Brady (L), Kilbride (R) and Paul Barden (L).
Donie Shine dropped a Roscommon free short in the second minute and Kilbride had a brief sight of goal from the rebound, only to see his effort blocked down. Kevin Higgins followed up with a wide from play for the Connacht champions.
Donal McElligott and Paul Barden were also off target for Longford before Roscommon wing back Donal Ward crept forward to pop over the opening point into the Hill 16 end. Shine dropped a shot from play short off his left boot.
Conor Devaney hit the outside of a post from an acute angle on the run as the Primrose & Blue continued to attack but they were stopped in their tracks when a superb Longford attack culminated in midfielder Martin Brady planting the ball in the back of the net in the eighth minute after good approach play from Brian Kavanagh and wing back Shane Mulligan.
That three-pointer gave the Leinster county belief but their next three attacks all finished in disappointing wides and Roscommon also had a wide from Kilbride. Then in the 15th minute, the Roscommon full forward lashed the ball to the roof of the net after the entire Longford defence fatally backed off and invited the left-footed assassin to shoot - which he did to telling effect, giving Damien Sheridan no chance: 1-1 to 1-0.
Sean McCormack pulled a simple Longford free wide from his hands in front of the posts and Brian Kavanagh curled a sideline ball wide, attracting jeers from the opposition supporters.
Roscommon suffered a blow when Kilbride had to depart the fray after just 18 minutes, with Ger Heneghan coming in as his direct replacement.
Amazingly, in the 20th minute, Mulligan was the provider again as he took out the entire Rossies defence with a handpass over the top to Paul Barden, who calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner of the net: 2-0 to 1-1.
Higgins pulled one back and Shine then missed the simplest of frees after indiscipline from Diarmuid Masterson seemed to have presented him with a certain equaliser. But centre forward Higgins coolly fisted over the levelling point on 25 minutes. Masterson was replaced by Kevin Diffley and Roscommon hit another couple of wides as the match failed to ignite.
David Barden had been a doubt to start the game and he was replaced by Niall Mulligan before the short whistle. Both sides continued to send shots wide and short but the gloom was dispelled by an excellent defensive catch from Rossies midfielder Michael Finneran, who subsequently cleared the danger. Great stuff!
Longford got their first point on the stroke of half time when McCormack popped over a routine free, which full forward Kavanagh had won in rather dubious circumstances. McCormack then arrowed over another booming free from distance a minute into added time to hand his team a 2-2 to 1-3 interval cushion.
The sides had managed just four scores each during the opening half.
Glenn Ryan introduced JJ Matthews in place of centre forward Paddy Dowd during the break and the No.23 won an instant free, which McCormack worked to Kavanagh, who fired over - three points in as many minutes' play for Longford: 2-3 to 1-3 after 36 minutes.
McCormack should have added a third Longford goal but his attempt to get past Geoffrey Claffey was too casual and the Roscommon goalkeeper stood up well to make an important save. But McCormack made amends by clipping over his third pointed free to leave four between them three minutes after the restart.
There was an ominous look about proceedings when McCormack dinked over a lovely point from play on 40 minutes after being set up by Kavanagh. Roscommon were all over the place and some of their passing left a lot to be desired. Dermot Brady in the Longford defence had an answer to everything that was being thrown at him and goalkeeper Sheridan had no difficulty mopping up the growing number of shots dropping into his grasp.
Paul Barden had a goal chance but opted to fist over his side's sixth successive point, making it double scores, 2-6 to 1-3, after 42 minutes. When McCormack fired over another free, Longford has landed seven consecutive minors in the space of ten minutes. Kavanagh followed up with a thumping score from play - 2-8 to 1-3 with 47 minutes played. Roscommon hadn't scored since the 25th minute!
Cathal Cregg kicked a shot well wide off his right boot as Fergal O'Donnell's team brought their scoring drought to a worrying 23 minutes. In the 50th minute, Paul Barden added another excellent point from the left wing. Game Over.
Cregg earned Roscommon a penalty in the 51st minute, when Declan Reilly fouled him but Sheridan guessed right and saved Karl Mannion's kick with his face, which was soon smiling.
Roscommon then got their first score in 30 minutes' play. It would have been a goal but for the brilliance of Sheridan who deflected Cregg's pile-driver over the bar with his fingertips for a point. Within seconds, McCormack effortlessly fisted over his sixth point from close range at the other end: 2-10 to 1-4 after 56 minutes.
To his credit, Cregg kept going to the bitter end and the No.12 registered his second score on the stroke of the hour. Devaney added another consolation point 90 seconds later and Cregg's industry earned a free, which Devaney screwed badly wide, leaving seven between the teams with as many minutes left.
Kavanagh uncharacteristically hit his third successive side five minutes from the end, but the damage was already done and this decider was long since over as a contest. Cregg was like a bundle of perpetual energy as he sprinted forward to take his third point: 2-10 to 1-7. Higgins was unlucky when his 67th-minute shot struck the outside of an upright.
Cregg's next shot was centimetres wide and the Longford players must have been rehearsing their post-match press interviews in their heads as Roscommon continued to pour forward, with Heneghan failing to find the target. Cregg kicked another great point in the 70th minute.
In fairness to Longford, they had known since the 50th minute that this game was done and dusted. Who could blame them for easing up in the sapping conditions? Glenn Ryan had the luxury of taking off his top-scorer and Man of the Match McCormack ten minutes from the end.
Bernard McElvaney arced over an exquisite point for the winners in stoppage time, completing a comfortable win.
Longford: D Sheridan; D Brady, B Gilleran, D Reilly; S Mulligan, D Masterson, N Farrell; B McElvaney (0-1), M Brady (1-0); D Barden, P Dowd, P Barden (1-2); D McElligott, B Kavanagh (0-2), S McCormack (0-6). Subs: K Diffley, N Mulligan, JJ Mathews, P Foy, F McGee.
Roscommon: G Claffey; S McDermott, P Domican, N Carty; S Purcell, D Keenan, D Ward (0-1); M Finneran, K Mannion; C Devaney (0-1), K Higgins (0-2), C Cregg (0-4); J Rogers, S Kilbride (1-0), D Shine. Subs: G Heneghan, S O'Grady, I Kilbride, E Kenny, T Kelly. Tweet
