Friendly Report: Cabinteely 1 - 2 Longford Town

See Al Robinson's photos from the game here.

A good run-out for sides full of new and intriguing players saw Longford edge after taking the lead thanks to Kealen Dillon’s penalty. Cabinteely responded shortly after with Joe Doyle netting before Kaleem Simon sealed victory for De Town.

A fast paced opening to the first half didn’t create many clear cut opportunities with set pieces seeing the best chances from Longford.

First Philip Gannon curled just wide from outside the box in the twelfth minute before McKeown saw his attempt from nearly the same position go well over the crossbar.

Mark Rossister tried to liven things up for the masses at Jackson Park with a shot from about thirty-five yards. However, it went just past the wrong side of the far post.

Longford goalkeeper Ian Molloy was then called upon to make the first real save of the match, as he took to attempts to claim a shot from the edge of the box, before Shane Boyle saw his shot go wide after picking up the ball in midfield for Cabinteely.

The second half, despite numerous changes for both sides, got off to an even quicker pace as substitute Lee Duffy had his close shot saved by fellow substitute Sean Hyland in the Cabo goal.

Longford brought on seven subs in the sixty-third minute with one of them, Tristan Noack Hofman, seeing his shot blocked from a corner five minutes later. Kealan Dillon, also recently brought on, just flashed wide after a good set-up from Duffy.

De Town were soon to get their reward when Kaleem Simon was fouled just inside the box after turning his man in the seventy-third minute. Dillon stepped up and slotted the penalty low and hard to give Longford the lead (You can see that goal here).

It was only to last a few minutes though as good work from Cabinteely saw them get the ball in the box. After a few ricochets off various players, the ball ended up at the feet of former Dundalk striker Joe Doyle. He brushed it home to equalize for the ‘home’ side (You can see that goal here).

Yet it was to be one of the few players who had played the whole match that would have the last say as Kaleem Simon picked up the ball on the right wing, cut inside and curled a low one past Hyland to give Longford the pre-season victory in the dying minutes.

Cabinteely: Cathal Gillen (Sean Hyland HT); Karl Byrne (Lloyd Cairns HT), Lee Mitchell (Andrew Wall 43), Edward McDonagh, Kevin Knight (Michael Oladipupo HT (Shane Boyle 82); Oscar Brennan (Aaron Brilly HT), Shane Boyle (Sean Burke HT); Darren Clarke (Shane Heffernan HT), Stephen Hanley (Ollie Hamzat HT), Troy Owens (Shane Harris 75’); Ben Hanrahan (Joe Doyle HT).

Subs not used: Josh Quinlavin

Booked: None

Longford Town: Ian Molloy (Paul Skinner HT); James Mulhall (Darragh Doherty 63), Rhys Gorman (Tristan Noack Hofman 63), Mark Rossiter (Noel Haverty HT), Daniel O’Reilly (Conor Powell 63); Mark Hughes (Daniel Smith 63), Philip Gannon (Kevin O’Connor 63), John McKeown (Kealen Dillon 63), Kaleem Simon; David O’Sullivan (Lee Duffy HT), Karl Chambers (Cian Fay 63).

Subs not used: Pat Flynn.

Booked: None