Wicklow prove too strong for U-21 footballers

21.02.10 | Wicklow 3-13 Longford 0-10 | By Jonathan O’Meara

Longford U-21 footballers bowed of the Leinster Championship after they were put to the sword by an experienced Wicklow outfit at a sunny Aughrim last Sunday.
 
From the opening whistle, the visitors struggled to find any foothold in the game and a series of defensive mistakes proved costly for the Midlanders as their Leinster counterparts took full advantage and banked three goals to the good.

Straight from the opening whistle, Wicklow tested Longford’s full-back line and with just one minute gone on stopwatch, they picked up a fortuitous goal after Longford’s net minder Gavin McNerney spilled possession into the path of Ger Collins and he was on hand to tap the ball into an open net.

Longford’s unluck persisted over the course of the game and while they appeared to recover from the opening goal, Wicklow stuck the claws in at every opportunity and punished them with two added goals all coming from defensive blunders.

Longford manager Mickey Harkins will be disappointed with the overall performance from his starting fifteen. He will argue that the long three-hour bus journey to Aughrim did not help.
 
The absence of St. Columba’s J.J. Matthews and Aaron Quinn from Manning Gaels from the Longford team was a massive blow for the visitors. Matthews picked up a serious injury during their Hastings Cup encounter against Leitrim a number of weeks ago while Quinn is struggling with an ongoing injury.

Harkin’s outfit got off to the worst possible start and leaked their first of three goals in the first minutes. A long ball by Brendan McCarr sent into the Longford goal-mouth was fumbled by McNerney in the Longford goal, where the ball fell out to corner-forward Ger Collins who couldn’t believe his luck and tapped home.

Despite this early setback, Longford regrouped and responded positively with two points on the trot from Pauric Gill and a place kicked effort from Ronan McGoldrick.

The Midlanders had a half decent goal opportunity in the 8th minute when Ronan McGoldrick fed through a ball into Pauric Gill, but his thundering shot flew over the black spot, when a goal chance presented itself for the taking.

Corner-forward Dean Siney proved a real handful for the Longford’s fullback line and fired over his first of the afternoon, when he cut inside his marker and curled over a fine effort off the right boot. Conor Foley then etched his name to the score sheet with a brilliant score from a tight position near the end line.     

Longford’s fullback line was caught out once again with ten minutes remaining to the interval. This time it was corner-back Ruairi Barrins that was caught when he mistakenly kicked his free straight to Wicklow’s full-forward Peader Byrne.

Byrne then played a neat pass into Anthony McLoughlin and he placed his shot into the bottom corner much to the annoyance of the Longford keeper.
 
Trailing by six points now, Longford endeavoured to narrow the margins back as best they could before the half time whistle and points from Brian Farrell and a long range effort from Ronan McGoldrick kept them within reach.
 
Mickey Harkins made two substitutions in the Longford team at half time in an effort to shake things up.  Denis McGoldrick replaced Pauric Gill, while Paul McKeon replaced Sean Flynn at corner back. This seemed to have some effect and they bridged the gap to six with McKeon and McGoldrick raising the white flag for the visitors.

Wicklow however never panicked and regained control with Conor Foley, Dean Siney and Anthony McLoughlin all putting impressive performances for the blue and gold.  

They eventually knocked the wind out of Longford’s sail on the 40th minute mark when they bagged their final goal of the contest. A loose ball fumbled by Kevin Diffley was quickly swooped upon by Shane Carthy and tucked the ball past McNerney in the Longford goal for the second time in succession.
 
From here on in Wicklow ruled the exchanges as a disheartened Longford  ran through the motions till the final whistle.

LONGFORD: Gavin McNerney; Sean Flynn, Kevin Diffley, Ruairi Barrins; Colm Smyth, David Faughnan, Fergal Battrim; John Keegan, Martin Brady; Shane Powell, John Sheridan, Brian Farrell (0-2, 0-1f); William Crawford (0-1), Ronan McGoldrick (0-5 0-4f), Pauric Gill (0-1).

SUBS USED:- Denis McGoldrick for P. Gill and Paul McKeon (0-1) for S. Flynn (ht), Michael Morrissey for J. Keegan (41 mins), Fiachra Beirne for B. Farrell (47 mins).

WICKLOW: Lorcan Trainor; Chris Murphy, Stephen Mann, Sean Horan; Conor Foley, Paul McLoughlin, Brian Osbourne; Adam Merriman, Brendan McGarr; Roddy Carroll, Anthony McLoughlin (1-0), Paul Cunningham (0-1); Shane Carthy (2-1), Peadar Burke (0-1), Dean Siney (0-7 (0-4f).

SUBS USED:- Ciaran Walsh (0-1) for C. Foley (43 mins), Robert Lambert for R. Carroll (56 mins), Stephen Dillon for S. Carthy (57 mins).

REFEREE: Brendan Hickey (Kildare).

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