Last gasp Galway snatch victory from gallant Longford

01.08.10 | Galway 0-10 Longford 1-6 | By Padraic O'Brien

While gallant Longford suffered the agony of a slender one-point defeat against Galway in just missing out on a return to Croke Park for the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship semi-final, they have really only themselves to blame as missed chances cost them so dearly in such a close encounter against the Connacht runners-up on Saturday last.

It was yet another courageous performance by the young Longford bravehearts who put in a huge effort to spring a surprise, particularly as they looked to be in big trouble at the break after some very poor finishing in the first half (ten wides in total including a few frees) left them facing a real uphill battle against the wind on the changeover.

Showers of rain left the Hyde Park pitch in a slippy and difficult condition for the All-Ireland Minor quarter-final and Longford were very slow to settle as Galway got off to the better start with the towering figure of high catching midfielder Fionntan O Curraoin in complete control.

However, the Leinster champions gradually got their act together in exerting a lot of pressure on the Galway defence but the crucial scores failed to materialise and Longford ended up on level terms at half-time (0-3 to 0-3) when they could have been in a comfortable lead.

Much to the sheer dismay of the large contingent of Longford supporters in Roscommon, the wide count began to clock up while there was a couple of close calls for Galway as Barry McKeon slipped in losing the ball when a goal chance was very much on in the 12th minute while just before the break Padraig McCormack had a close range shot saved by the opposing keeper James Keane.

Having said that, Galway enjoyed a lot of possession in the first half –mainly due to their midfield dominance – but shot only three wides as they found it increasingly difficult to penetrate a stubborn Longford defence who received excellent support from the half-forward-line who dropped deep to help frustrate the opposing attack.

Robbie Smyth (free in the 4th minute), Darren Farrelly (18 mins) and Barry McKeon (29 mins) got the Longford scores in the first half while Conor Rabbitte (2 mins), Shane Maughan (free, 6 mins) and Cathal O'Neill were on target for Galway, the latter capitalising on a mistake to shoot over the bar in the 28th minute.

The less said about the first half the better as it was a very scrappy affair littered by mistakes while some poor decisions by referee Robert O'Donnell certainly did not help the cause and the Donegal official was harsh on both sides during the course of the game.

However, the entertainment value improved considerably in the second half and while Galway took the lead after just 30 seconds when full-forward Conor Rabbitte landed a well struck effort the sides were all square again with six minutes gone on the changeover.

A well-worked Longford move involving Conor Clarke, Darren Farrelly and Diarmuid Cooney got the ball through to Padraig McCormack who was fouled and Cooney slotted over the free.

But three good chances in a row were then squandered by Longford (including a couple of frees) and it was against the run of play that Galway regained the lead in the 42nd minute through a well struck free from Peadar O Griofa.

However, Longford got the break they badly needed midway through the second half when the alert Robbie Smyth connected with the loose ball to find the back of the net after Galway committed a costly blunder in failing to clear the danger in a goal-line scramble.

A terrific point quickly followed from James Noonan under a lot of pressure to leave Longford 1-5 to 0-5 ahead and apparently looking good for another famous victory in a remarkable campaign.

But the physically stronger Galway side showed a lot of composure in refusing to panic and quickly closed the gap to the minimum of margins with a brace of points from Peadar O Griofa (play and free) but then missed three chances on the trot and ended up shooting a total of seven wides in the second half.

Longford were hanging on with time running out but got going again and after a '45 from substitute Cillian Lynn dropped short midfielder Darren Gallagher squandered a great chance in the 57th minute to put his team two points in front.

That was a let off for Galway who launched an immediate counter-attack that yielded the equalising point from the accurate O Griofa and the influential forward shot over the bar again moments later.

Another point followed from Conor Rabbitte in the final minute of normal time to leave Galway leading by 0-10 to 1-5 and while Longford then tried to engineer a dramatic winning goal there was no way through for Padraig McCormack and the referee subsequently awarded a free out.

James McGivney then made another of his penetrating runs through the Galway defence, only to be fouled, and while the Mullinalaghta man fired over the free in the second minute of stoppage time to leave just a solitary point separating the sides the final whistle sounded seconds later.

And so the Longford minors have finally reached the end of the road under the guidance of inspirational manager Ciaran Fox but the so committed players have done the county extremely proud in winning the Leinster title against all the odds.

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, 0-1, free), Shane Donohoe (Shannon Gaels, Rathcline); Diarmuid Cooney (St. Vincent's, 0-1, free), Darren Gallagher (Granard/Ballymore); James Noonan (St. Vincent's, 0-1), Padraig McCormack (Killoe), Darren Farrelly (St. Vincent's, 0-1); Barry McKeon (Colmcille, 0-1), Robbie Smyth (Northern Gaels, Abbeylara/Mullinalaghta, 1-1, point from free), Declan Mimnagh (St. Francis Dromard).

Subs:- Cillian Lynn (Wolfe Tones, Mostrim) for D Farrelly (53 mins); Oisin Farrell (Carrick Sarsfields, Carrickedmond/Legan) for D Mimnagh (59 mins).

GALWAY: James Keane; Philip Ezergalis, James Shaughnessy, Paul Varley; Fiach O Bearra, Marcus Kelly, Tom Curran; Eoghan Commins, Fionntan O Curraoin; Niall Quinn, Peadar O Griofa (0-5, two frees), Shane Maughan (0-1, free); Cathal O'Neill (0-1), Conor Rabbitte (0-3), Niall Walsh.

Subs:- Thomas Flynn for N Quinn (37 mins); David Black for F O Bearra (39 mins); Jack Vaughan for P Ezergalis (42 mins); Adrian Varley for C O'Neill (47 mins).

Referee: Robert O'Donnell (Donegal).

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