Longford Town 4 - 0 Pike Rovers
Credit:
A hat-trick from ace marksman David O'Sullivan and a late penalty from Mark Salmon helped Longford Town book their place in the next round of the FAI Cup at the expense of Limerick side Pike Rovers on Saturday night.
Former Wayside Celtic player O'Sullivan has been in exceptional form for the Midlanders and this hat-trick brings his tally to 15 for the season.
Longford dominated the game from start to finish and they really should’ve won by more. Pike were poor and offered very little to the game; Chris Bennion in the Longford goal wasn’t forced into making one save throughout the game.
For all of Longford’s possession in the early exchanges they didn’t create anything of note. Their first chance on goal in the 15th minute yielded their opening goal; Mark Salmon’s pinpoint cross from the right met the head of O’Sullivan at the far post and he made no mistake.
Minutes later O’Sullivan broke down the wing and played the ball across to Daniel Purdy but the winger’s header lacked real power and Pike keeper Gary Neville was able to save. In the 21st minute O’Sullivan had a great chance but his strike just went inches wide.
It was all Longford at this stage and in the 23rd minute Gary Shaw was unlucky not to score when he curled his effort round the post. Purdy and Keith Quinn also had chances but both failed to find the target.
O’Sullivan got his and his side’s second goal 14 minutes after the interval; Purdy laid the ball off to the striker, his effort was saved by Neville but he pounced on the loose ball to stab it home. Such was Longford’s dominance it was only a matter of time before they scored another goal and that came in the 75th minute courtesy of none other than O’Sullivan who got the hat-trick his performance deserved.
Right at the end substitute Josh O’Hanlon was fouled in the box and Salmon coolly dispatched the spot-kick as Longford ran out comfortable winners.
Longford Town: Chris Bennion; Mark Salmon, Willo McDonagh, Brian McCarthy, Willie Tyrrell; Keith Quinn, Keith Gillespie (David O’Neill 76), Gavin Doyle (Corie Tracey 58), Daniel Purdy; Gary Shaw (Josh O’Hanlon 46), David O’Sullivan.
Subs not used: Paul Hunt, Aaron Brilly, Michael Isichei.
Pike Rovers: Gary Neville; Brian Butler, Alan Barry, Edward O’Donovan, Eoin Hanrahan; Michael Lipper (John Ryan 68), Keith Hartnett, John Tierney, Patrick Moloney, David Ryan; Frank Stewart.
Subs not used: Wayne Colbert
Referee: Alan Sherlock (Meath).
Attendance: 200 official
Extratime.ie man of the match: David O’Sullivan (Longford Town).
