Injury time controversy costs Longford vital points

20.02.10 | Limerick 1-8 Longford 0-9 | By Jonathan O'Meara

Longford suffered their second defeat in their Division Four League campaign after a labouring Limerick outfit crossed the finishing line with two points to spare at Pearse Park last Saturday afternoon.
 
The contest however was not without incident and Longford manager Glenn Ryan will feel hard done by after Westmeath referee Sean Carroll disallowed a goal from Longford’s Seamus Hannon in injury time.
 
The scene unfolded in the 73rd minute, when Longford were awarded a close range free on the edge of the 13-metre line. Francis McGee fancied his chances and unleashed a pile driver at the Limerick goal mouth, where Seamus Hannon was first to react and fired the ball to the back of Conor Ranahan’s net.

Confusion quickly followed and match referee Carroll instantly dismissed the winning goal, stating that he had blown the full time whistle before the shot was taken.

Manager Glenn Ryan made two changes in personnel from their opening game against Carlow with AIT student Ger Dennigan replacing Bernard McElvaney in midfield, while Declan Reilly got the nod in front of Dromard’s Jamesie Martin at top of the right.

Facing an up hill battle (after Danny Keenan was sent off) a resilient 14-man Longford unit regrouped, but unfortunately could not find any inroads as the Limerick defence held tight and refused to allow their Leinster counterparts any way through.

Whilst Longford’s Francis McGee registered the games opening points from the placed ball, it was the Shannonsiders who got off to a blistering start.

Straight from the throw in, they stunned the small home supporters after they easily broke open Longford’s rearguard and netted the games only goal.

Wing forward Padraig Browne picked out James O’Donovan on the right flank and once O’Donovan got the ball into his hands, he cut inside his marker and drilled a low shot to back of the Damien Sheridan’s net.

Already on the back foot the midlanders responded as best they could and narrowed the margins back to a single point when McGee converted a ‘45’ facing into the town end goal.

The Treaty men replied with a brace of their own minutes later with Ian Ryan leading the scoring exchanges.

The hosts did show slight signs of improvements from their previous game against Carlow. The decision to provide full-forward Brian Kavanagh with a greater supply of ball was evident over the course of the game and while the Kilmacud man had to contend with having two players follow his every move all afternoon, he did win a number of frees that Francis McGee duly converted.

As the first half progressed the visitors gradually started to carve out an advantage with Ian Ryan their key marks man. Ryan fired over five of their eight point total, the majority however coming from the placed ball.

With eight minutes remaining to the interval they stretched out their lead to four points, Longford hit back and an excellent Kevin Mulligan point on the stroke of half time bridged the gap back to a three point affair.

On the turn over, the home side produced their first goal chance in the 38th when a through ball from Enda Williams found Kevin Smyth 25 metres from goal. His shot however proved no trouble for Limerick net minder Conor Ranahan who read the flight of the ball superbly.

With Longford’s shoulder firmly to the wheel now, they pressed forward and points from Smyth (0-1) and three on the trot to UCD student Francis McGee put only two points between the sides with just minutes remaining.
 
Entering injury time, Longford were now completely on top and searched for the winning goal. It looked like it had arrived on the 73rd minute after Seamus Hannon latched onto a rebounded free from McGee and sent the ball racing to the net.  

The player’s celebrations however swiftly turned to anger seconds later, when they realised that Westmeath referee Sean Carroll had disallowed the goal, declaring that he had blown the full time whistle before Hannon’s shot was taken and thus ended this Division Four round three encounter in a shroud of confusion and controversy.

LONGFORD: Damien Sheridan, Shane Mulligan, Diarmuid Masterson, Seamus Hannon Dermot Brady, Enda Williams, Justin Nally, Kevin Smyth (0-1), Ger Dennigan, Danny Keenan, Francis McGee(0-6, 3 frees, 1‘45’),, Kevin Mulligan,(0-1), Declan Reilly, Brian Kavanagh, Cian Mimnagh (0-1)

SUBS USED:- Paul Kelly for G. Dennigan (54 mins), David Morgan for C. Mimnagh (64 mins).

LIMERICK: Conor Ranahan, Mark O’Riordan, Conor Mullane, Andrew Lane, Stephen Lavin (0-1), Johnny McCarthy, Patrick Ranahan, James O’Donovan(1-0), James Galvin, Padraig Browne, James Ryan (0-1),John Mullane, Ger Collins (0-1), Ian Ryan (0-5,4f), Cormac Joyce- Power

SUBS USED:- Gareth Noonan for C. Joyce-Power (ht), Raymond Hayes for J. Galvin (ht), Shane Gallagher for C. Mullane (ht) Phillip Corrigan for J. Mullane (59 MINS),

REFEREE: Sean Carroll (Westmath).

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