Longford Town 1 - 3 Sporting Fingal
Credit:
Ten men Sporting Fingal moved back into second spot in the First Division table with a hard fought win over Longford Town.
After the opening 45 minutes it looked like the visitors would win this game comfortably after they went in at the break 2-0 in front.
But the home side put in a vastly improved performance in the second half and on the balance of that display they were unlucky not to have taken something out of the game.
Longford Town manager and now stand in keeper Alan Gough made two changes to the team that lost 3-2 to Mervue Utd last week; Stephen Gough and Jason McCartney returned to the starting line-up with Carmine Russo and Derek Glynn dropping to the bench.
The Town enjoyed the early possession but disaster struck in the eighth minute when the visitors went ahead with their first attack of the game. Eamon Zayed played the ball into the path of Ross Gaynor who made no mistake in firing past Town ‘keeper Alan Gough.
Gaynor found himself in the box six minutes later but his cross was deflected out for a corner.
The visitors doubled their lead in the 23rd minute. Former Town favourite Alan Kirby pounced on a mistake by Colm Jinks; he somehow was allowed to walk through the Town defence before he laid the ball off to Robert Bayly who slotted him from close range.
It could’ve got a whole lot worse for the home side in the 32nd minute. Stephen Gough’s back pass was very nearly deflected into his own net by ‘keeper Alan Gough who got the slightest touch to it.
A minute later the visitors had the ball in the net for the third time; Conan Byrne’s shot came off the post but the rebound was disallowed for offside. The Town had to wait until seven minutes for the break for their first shot on target; Gary Curran with a strike from about 20 yards out that flew over the crossbar.
Two minutes later Kirby’s cross from the left was deflected out for a corner by Town defender Tom King.
Three minutes into the second half and Curran had another chance for the home side. Jason McCartney was fouled by Fingal’s Brian Gannon and from about 25 yards out Curran’s sweetly struck free just clipped the crossbar and went over.
Town got more into the game and in the space of two minutes they had two glorious chances on goal. In the 58th minute Colm Jinks picked the ball up in the box, he twisted and turned but his low shot was saved by Darren Quigley.
Two minutes later and Stephen Gough’s excellent delivery from a few corner was headed out at the far post for a corner.
Fingal broke on the counter attack and Zayed picked up the ball but Alan Gough got a hand to his effort to put it out for a corner.
The visitors were reduced to 10 men in the 62nd minute. Robert Bayly was about to substituted but as he walked off the pitch he appeared to say something to referee Sean Grant. He had only been booked a few minutes before that.
In the 75th minute and against the run of play the Fingal grabbed their third of the night when Eamon Zayed finished off John Frost’s cross.
The home side pulled a goal back in the 78th minute; Daragh Concannon’s effort was saved and Liam Lynch made no mistake with the follow-up.
Near the end the Town had two chances that went agonisingly close. First Philip Byrne cleared Curran’s effort off the line and just before full-time Liam Lynch’s shot went just wide.
Longford Town: Alan Gough, Ray Kenny, Tom King, Jim Sheridan, Brian McCarthy, Colm Jinks, Daragh Concannon, Gary Curran, Liam Lynch, Stephen Gough, Jason McCartney. Sub used: Adrian Murphy for McCartney 66th minute Subs not used: Carmine Russo, Owen Hoare, Derek Glynn, Brian Murtagh. Yellow card: McCarthy, Sheridan
Sporting Fingal: Darren Quigley, Brian Gannon, John Frost, Shane McFaul, Philip Byrne, Stephen Paisley, Conan Byrne, Robert Bayly, Eamon Zayed, Alan Kirby, Ross Gaynor. Sub used: Colm James for Gaynor 89minute, Fiachra McArdle for C Byrne 90th minute. Subs not used: Gareth Whelan, Kevin Boyd, James Hussey. Yellow card: Bayly, P Byrne
Referee: S Grant (Wexford)
After the opening 45 minutes it looked like the visitors would win this game comfortably after they went in at the break 2-0 in front.
But the home side put in a vastly improved performance in the second half and on the balance of that display they were unlucky not to have taken something out of the game.
Longford Town manager and now stand in keeper Alan Gough made two changes to the team that lost 3-2 to Mervue Utd last week; Stephen Gough and Jason McCartney returned to the starting line-up with Carmine Russo and Derek Glynn dropping to the bench.
The Town enjoyed the early possession but disaster struck in the eighth minute when the visitors went ahead with their first attack of the game. Eamon Zayed played the ball into the path of Ross Gaynor who made no mistake in firing past Town ‘keeper Alan Gough.
Gaynor found himself in the box six minutes later but his cross was deflected out for a corner.
The visitors doubled their lead in the 23rd minute. Former Town favourite Alan Kirby pounced on a mistake by Colm Jinks; he somehow was allowed to walk through the Town defence before he laid the ball off to Robert Bayly who slotted him from close range.
It could’ve got a whole lot worse for the home side in the 32nd minute. Stephen Gough’s back pass was very nearly deflected into his own net by ‘keeper Alan Gough who got the slightest touch to it.
A minute later the visitors had the ball in the net for the third time; Conan Byrne’s shot came off the post but the rebound was disallowed for offside. The Town had to wait until seven minutes for the break for their first shot on target; Gary Curran with a strike from about 20 yards out that flew over the crossbar.
Two minutes later Kirby’s cross from the left was deflected out for a corner by Town defender Tom King.
Three minutes into the second half and Curran had another chance for the home side. Jason McCartney was fouled by Fingal’s Brian Gannon and from about 25 yards out Curran’s sweetly struck free just clipped the crossbar and went over.
Town got more into the game and in the space of two minutes they had two glorious chances on goal. In the 58th minute Colm Jinks picked the ball up in the box, he twisted and turned but his low shot was saved by Darren Quigley.
Two minutes later and Stephen Gough’s excellent delivery from a few corner was headed out at the far post for a corner.
Fingal broke on the counter attack and Zayed picked up the ball but Alan Gough got a hand to his effort to put it out for a corner.
The visitors were reduced to 10 men in the 62nd minute. Robert Bayly was about to substituted but as he walked off the pitch he appeared to say something to referee Sean Grant. He had only been booked a few minutes before that.
In the 75th minute and against the run of play the Fingal grabbed their third of the night when Eamon Zayed finished off John Frost’s cross.
The home side pulled a goal back in the 78th minute; Daragh Concannon’s effort was saved and Liam Lynch made no mistake with the follow-up.
Near the end the Town had two chances that went agonisingly close. First Philip Byrne cleared Curran’s effort off the line and just before full-time Liam Lynch’s shot went just wide.
Longford Town: Alan Gough, Ray Kenny, Tom King, Jim Sheridan, Brian McCarthy, Colm Jinks, Daragh Concannon, Gary Curran, Liam Lynch, Stephen Gough, Jason McCartney. Sub used: Adrian Murphy for McCartney 66th minute Subs not used: Carmine Russo, Owen Hoare, Derek Glynn, Brian Murtagh. Yellow card: McCarthy, Sheridan
Sporting Fingal: Darren Quigley, Brian Gannon, John Frost, Shane McFaul, Philip Byrne, Stephen Paisley, Conan Byrne, Robert Bayly, Eamon Zayed, Alan Kirby, Ross Gaynor. Sub used: Colm James for Gaynor 89minute, Fiachra McArdle for C Byrne 90th minute. Subs not used: Gareth Whelan, Kevin Boyd, James Hussey. Yellow card: Bayly, P Byrne
Referee: S Grant (Wexford)
