Magnificent minors crowned kings of Leinster

11.04.10 | Longford 0-14 Offaly 0-8 | By Padraig O'Brien

In one of the most remarkable stories in the history of Longford GAA, a fourth Leinster Minor Football Championship title was won in Croke Park on Sunday last against all the odds at the expense of the same Offaly team who had cruised to a landslide 22-point win when the counties clashed in the opening round back in April.
In the aftermath of that demoralising defeat,

Longford were completely written off in the battle for provincial honours but under the driving force of their inspirational manager Ciaran Fox and his selectors Martin Mulleady, Albert Fallon, Kevin 'Nixer' Hughes and Colin Dalton the so committed county U-18 squad somehow managed to resurrect their championship challenge through the back door.

Wins over Wexford, Carlow, Westmeath and a strongly fancied Kildare side followed as the players grew in confidence on the road to redemption and revenge was very sweet indeed against a stunned Offaly outfit in the match that really mattered.

Longford produced a superb second half display to land the Leinster Minor title and can now look forward to the All-Ireland Quarter-Final on the August Bank Holiday Weekend against the losers of the Connacht Final between Galway and Mayo.

Given no chance by a major bookmaker who are offering the very generous odds of 5/1, Longford were under considerable pressure in the first half as Offaly enjoyed the better of the exchanges but the unbackable 1/7 favourites failed to convert this superiority into scores after missing at least two goal chances and who also kicked a total of six wides.

It took some resolute defending to keep Longford in contention and last ditch tackles by Conor Clarke and Ronan Keogh, in particular, made sure that Offaly were denied a crucial goal – as was also the case in the previous games against Kildare and Westmeath when keeper Paddy Collum managed to keep his net intact.

That was a key factor in the eventual triumph and after trailing by just a solitary score at the break, 0-5 to 0-4, Longford gradually got on top in the second half with Diarmuid Cooney and Darren Gallagher coming a lot more into the game at centrefield while James McGivney was a real commanding figure at centre-half-back.

Impressive centre-half-forward Padraig McCormack was also very much to the fore as gaps were exposed in the Offaly defence and inflicting most of the damage in attack were Robbie Smyth and Barry McKeon as Longford added another ten points to their emphatic tally on the changeover.

Offaly became very frustrated indeed and all they could manage in the second half was three points, a couple of frees and a '45' converted by midfielder Noel Andrew Graham and the faithful county failed to register a score in the final quarter of the contest as Longford stepped up another gear to take over completely.

Holding a slender 0-9 to 0-8 advantage, the boys in blue and gold pulled right away to win by the comfortable margin of six points in the finish and it was Darren Farrelly who initiated this decisive dominant spell when shooting over the bar in the 46th minute.

James Noonan then shot narrowly wide and after playmaker Padraig McCormack set up the lively Barry McKeon for a great score in the 48th minute a couple of wides were kicked by Robbie Smyth before the Abbeylara lad converted two frees to bring his personal total to seven points which was a major contribution, to say the least.

Substitute Cillian Lynn and the always dangerous Smyth were involved in the slick move that created the opportunity for Barry McKeon to fire over the final score of the game in the 56th minute and over 2,000 delighted Longford supporters were in Croke Park to witness this glorious achievement.

And so for the first time since 2002 Longford are Leinster Minor champions again and while chief marksman Robbie Smyth deserves a lot of credit for his man-of-the-match performance it was a terrific team effort.

Injuries ruled out Killoe duo Mark Hughes and Paddy Thompson with Sean Goldrick (Longford Slashers) and Oisin Farrell (Carrick Sarsfields) also on the casualty list.

While Offaly made the better start and opened the scoring in the 2nd minute with a well struck point from Stuart Cullen, some other chances were squandered before Longford got their first score in the 5th minute from a free converted by Robbie Smyth.

Following a wide by Barry McKeon, it was Offaly who registered the next score in the 13th minute when Noel Andrew Graham slotted over a free and it then took a vital interception by Ronan Keogh to prevent Barry Cushen receiving the ball for a clear goal opportunity.

That was just one example of the fierce spirit shown by Longford in the Croke Park title decider and there was another lucky escape when Offaly corner-forward Paul McPadden shot badly wide when well placed to score a goal in the 16th minute.

Declan Mimnagh was then narrowly off target for Longford before the alert Robbie Smyth collected the breaking ball to land the equalising point in the 19th minute and moments later Smyth was again involved as he set up Mimnagh for a well-taken score.

Offaly hit back immediately with a brace of points through Peter Cunningham and Derek Kelly in quick succession before Robbie Smyth went so close to scoring a goal for Longford in the 25th minute when his close range flick was saved in reflex fashion by the opposing keeper Matt Carragher.

A minute later Smyth fired over a free in front of the posts to leave the sides all square and after Longford squandered a few chances including a wide by Padraig McCormack, it was Offaly who had the last say in the first half when full-forward Barry Cushen fisted the ball over the bar.

A minute into stoppage time a goal attempt by Paul McPadden was blocked down by prominent Longford corner-back Ronan Keogh and the second half was less than a minute old when hard working midfielder Diarmuid Cooney (a real unsung hero in the six-match Leinster campaign) landed a cracking long range point that gave his team a great lift.

Scores were then exchanged twice in the space of six minutes with Noel Andrew Graham converting a couple of frees for Offaly while a speculative long range shot from Darren Farrelly was allowed hop over the bar and also on target for Longford was the so influential Padraig McCormack who landed a fine effort.

Deadlocked at 0-7 apiece, Longford then made a significant break with Robbie Smyth firing over a superb point from play in the 40th minute and soon after the same player kicked a well struck free to put the pressure on Offaly who hit back with another score from Graham ('45') to leave just the minimum of margins separating the sides.

But Longford were winning most of the 50/50 battles at this stage and went from strength to strength in the final quarter to fire over five points in a row and Offaly were a well beaten side at the final whistle. What a turnaround since the first round game at O'Connor Park in Tullamore three months ago when it looked like a lost cause!

LONGFORD: Paddy Collum (St. Vincent's, Drumlish/Ballinamuck); Darragh Bennett (Killoe), Dylan Quinn (St. Vincent's, captain), Ronan Keogh (Killoe); Conor Clarke (Longford Slashers), James McGivney (Northern Gaels, Mullinalaghta/Abbeylara), Shane Donohoe (Shannon Gaels, Rathcline); Diarmuid Cooney (St. Vincent's, 0-1), Darren Gallagher (Granard/Ballymore); James Noonan (St. Vincent's), Padraig McCormack (Killoe, 0-1), Darren Farrelly (St. Vincent's, 0-2); Barry McKeon (Colmcille, 0-2), Robbie Smyth (Northern Gaels, 0-7, five frees), Declan Mimnagh (St. Francis Dromard, 0-1).

Subs:- Tom Madden (Longford Slashers) for S Donohoe (27 mins); Cillian Lynn (Wolfe Tones, Mostrim) for D Farrelly (53 mins).

OFFALY: Matt Carragher; Conor Lowry, Eoin Rigney, Cian Donohoe; Stephen Hannon, Declan Hogan, David Hanlon; Noel Andrew Graham (0-4, three frees, one '45'), Pat Camon; Peter Cunningham (0-1), Derek Kelly (0-1), Stuart Cullen (0-1); Paul McPadden, Barry Cushen (0-1), Joe O'Connor.

Subs:- Johnny Brickland for P Camon (41 mins); Jason Gethings for D Hanlon (56 mins); Ian Curry for C Lowry (58 mins); Aaron McDonagh for S Cullen (59 mins); Eamon McCabe for D Kelly (60 mins).

REFEREE: Joe Curley (Meath).

Copyright Longford Leader