Longford belatedly opened their Allianz Football League Division 4 campaign with a first-ever defeat to London last Sunday.

The game in Ruislip was also notable for the return of Ronan Sweeney to the Longford colours after a nine-year absence. Sweeney, who was chairperson of his club Clonguish as recently as last year, replaced Oisín O’Toole in the 69th minute for what was his first inter-county appearance since an O’Byrne Cup clash with IT Carlow in 2017.

According to Longford Gaelic Stats, Killashee’s Pat Farrell had an even longer inter-county break of almost 10 years between his O’Byrne Cup appearances in January 2009 and December 2018, while Eugene McCormack of Carrickedmond went seven years without any inter-county action before returning against Offaly in the 1997 Leinster SFC.

Sweeney could see more game-time when the midlanders travel to Dungarvan to face Waterford in their refixed Round 1 clash on Sunday (throw-in 2pm).

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