Draw against Wicklow costs the Longford ladies a semi-final spot

11.04.10 | Wicklow 2-12 Longford 4-6 | By Longford Leader

Last Sunday the Longford ladies made the long trip to Hollywood in seek of a win that would have put them into the semi-final of the National Football League Division 3 but Wicklow were determined not to be beaten in front of a big home following.

Indeed they had 1-5 on the scoreboard before the Longford girls knew that there was a game on and with slick movement and accurate forwards the Wicklow girls began to believe that they could actually win this game against their supposedly superior opponents.

It took Longford thirteen minutes to register their first score through Anna McDonnell when she rounded the corner back to fire an unstoppable shot to the Wicklow net and the same girl collected a great pass from her clubmate Edel Quinn to notch her second goal of the half to leave Wicklow leading 1-7 to 2-0 with twenty minutes gone.

Longford, although playing against the breeze, were beginning to find their feet and Denise Murtagh added 1-1 and Ann Marie Bratten 0-2 before Orla Noonan finished a fine move with a goal with half-time approaching. Wicklow added a further two points to leave the teams going in at half-time with the score reading Longford 4-3 Wicklow 1-9.

It looked promising for the visitors starting the second half with the aid of the breeze but Wicklow were first to attack and were awarded a penalty for a foul on the full forward which was sent wide.

The home side were going all out in search of a win as the half progressed and they tightened up the Longford forwards who only scored 0-3 with the breeze, the points coming from Alice Magan, Fiona Gettings and Edel Quinn.

At the other end of the field Wicklow were awarded a second penalty which rebounded off the post but Wicklow were quicker to react and the Longford defence were caught asleep for this goal. To add to their woes they lost Michelle Ross and Orla Noonan to the sin bin at vital stages in the second half when the game was in the balance.

With Wexford beating Fermanagh they claim the last semi-final spot as Longford's draw against Wicklow cost them a place in the last four of the National League.

LONGFORD: M. Kilkenny; A. Brady,Y. Barden, M. Brady; S. Farrell, M. Ross, D. Leavy; L. Brady, S. Treacy; A.M. Bratten, E. Quinn, A. Magan; A. McDonnell, O. Noonan, D. Murtagh.

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