Sporting Fingal 3 - 0 Longford Town
Credit:
Sporting Fingal moved back into third place in the League of Ireland First Division and ended Longford Town’s three match winning streak in a one sided encounter in Morton Stadium on Sunday afternoon. An own goal from Stephen Gough and two further second half goals from Gary O’Neill and Eamon Zayed sealed the win for Liam Buckley’s men. Only for Longford keeper Danny O’Leary, Fingal could have registered double the final quota of scores.
Sporting began the game with intent. Only three minutes had registered on the clock when Brian Gannon found Gary O’Neill inside the Longford area. O’Neill fed Robert Bayly whose quick turn and shot looped centimetres over the bar.
Moments later, Conan Byrne played a neat one two with O’Neill and Byrne’s shot ran just wide of Danny O’Leary’s post. On 12 minutes an impressive Shaun Williams delivered a free onto Philip Byrne. His cross from the right found O’Neill ten yards out and his scissor kick was pushed over by O’Leary in the Longford goal.
On 17 minutes, Sporting had the best chance of the half to go in front. A Philip Byrne cross was shot goalward by Bayly. His blocked effort found its way to Conan Byrne whose shot struck the post. The ball refused to be cleared and Williams crossed seconds later to Alan Kirby on the far post. Despite having time, his rushed attempt ran wide when he should have done better.
Five minutes later Longford had their first attempt. A Jason McCarthy cross from the left was only cleared as far as Carmine Russo but his unchallenged shot was high and over the bar.
Man of the match for the third week running, Conan Byrne, then had two chances to take the lead in three minutes. For his first opportunity, he found himself one on one with the keeper only to shoot directly at O’Leary. Two minutes later, Lorcan Fitzgerald’s high cross into the box was met by Byrne’s head but it was directed straight at O’Leary’s feet.
The final chance of the half fell to Longford. Sporting Fingal keeper Darren Quigley lingered far too long on the ball, giving Derek Glynn time to tackle the net minder. The ball rebounded off Quigley, and luckily for Fingal, failed to fall to the free McCarthy waiting in the box and Fingal escaped what would have been a goal against the run of play.
Liam Buckley’s men took the lead minutes after the restart. The breakthrough came courtesy of a Longford Town defender. Shaun Williams got free and rushed along the by line and his shot-come-cross was deflected into the net off the unlucky Stephen Gough.
Apart from a Darren McKenna 35 yard attempt well off target, Quigley was not going to be bothered in the Fingal goal.
With the lead goal, the chances that were missed in the first half started to convert. Gary O’Neill doubled the lead on 62 minutes converting a cross from Conan Byrne on the left.
In the second minute of injury time, substitute Eamon Zayed delivered the final blow, more or less walking the ball into the net following a Bayly through pass.
Sporting Fingal now travel to Limerick FC who were beaten by Waterford United this week and Longford Town will welcome UCD to Flancare Park in the first First Division game of August.
Sporting Fingal: Darren Quigley; Brian Gannon, Lorcan Fitzgerald, Shaun Williams (Colm James 76), Philip Byrne; Stephen Paisley, Conan Byrne (Daniel Corcoran 86) , Robert Bayly, Alan Kirby; Gary O’Neill (Eamon Zayed 79), Shane McFaul
Subs not used: John Frost, Robbie Horgan
Longford Town: Danny O’Leary; Ray Kenny, Kevin Cronin, Brian McCarthy, Stephen Gough; Jordan McMillan, Jason McCarthy, Carmine Russo (Colm Jinks 65), Adrian Murphy(Neal McKenna 49); Derek Glynn(Liam Lynch 72), Darren McKenna
Subs not used: Michael Lee, Philip Coffee.
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Despite the official Man of the Match being Conan Byrne and he did play a blinder although failed to take a number of opportunities when presented, I personally thought Shaun Williams played extremely well today. Gary O'Neill played 80 minutes of the game and did very well also, but my MOTM is Williams.
Referee:Sean Grant (Wexford Youths)
Attendance: 1,026
Sporting began the game with intent. Only three minutes had registered on the clock when Brian Gannon found Gary O’Neill inside the Longford area. O’Neill fed Robert Bayly whose quick turn and shot looped centimetres over the bar.
Moments later, Conan Byrne played a neat one two with O’Neill and Byrne’s shot ran just wide of Danny O’Leary’s post. On 12 minutes an impressive Shaun Williams delivered a free onto Philip Byrne. His cross from the right found O’Neill ten yards out and his scissor kick was pushed over by O’Leary in the Longford goal.
On 17 minutes, Sporting had the best chance of the half to go in front. A Philip Byrne cross was shot goalward by Bayly. His blocked effort found its way to Conan Byrne whose shot struck the post. The ball refused to be cleared and Williams crossed seconds later to Alan Kirby on the far post. Despite having time, his rushed attempt ran wide when he should have done better.
Five minutes later Longford had their first attempt. A Jason McCarthy cross from the left was only cleared as far as Carmine Russo but his unchallenged shot was high and over the bar.
Man of the match for the third week running, Conan Byrne, then had two chances to take the lead in three minutes. For his first opportunity, he found himself one on one with the keeper only to shoot directly at O’Leary. Two minutes later, Lorcan Fitzgerald’s high cross into the box was met by Byrne’s head but it was directed straight at O’Leary’s feet.
The final chance of the half fell to Longford. Sporting Fingal keeper Darren Quigley lingered far too long on the ball, giving Derek Glynn time to tackle the net minder. The ball rebounded off Quigley, and luckily for Fingal, failed to fall to the free McCarthy waiting in the box and Fingal escaped what would have been a goal against the run of play.
Liam Buckley’s men took the lead minutes after the restart. The breakthrough came courtesy of a Longford Town defender. Shaun Williams got free and rushed along the by line and his shot-come-cross was deflected into the net off the unlucky Stephen Gough.
Apart from a Darren McKenna 35 yard attempt well off target, Quigley was not going to be bothered in the Fingal goal.
With the lead goal, the chances that were missed in the first half started to convert. Gary O’Neill doubled the lead on 62 minutes converting a cross from Conan Byrne on the left.
In the second minute of injury time, substitute Eamon Zayed delivered the final blow, more or less walking the ball into the net following a Bayly through pass.
Sporting Fingal now travel to Limerick FC who were beaten by Waterford United this week and Longford Town will welcome UCD to Flancare Park in the first First Division game of August.
Sporting Fingal: Darren Quigley; Brian Gannon, Lorcan Fitzgerald, Shaun Williams (Colm James 76), Philip Byrne; Stephen Paisley, Conan Byrne (Daniel Corcoran 86) , Robert Bayly, Alan Kirby; Gary O’Neill (Eamon Zayed 79), Shane McFaul
Subs not used: John Frost, Robbie Horgan
Longford Town: Danny O’Leary; Ray Kenny, Kevin Cronin, Brian McCarthy, Stephen Gough; Jordan McMillan, Jason McCarthy, Carmine Russo (Colm Jinks 65), Adrian Murphy(Neal McKenna 49); Derek Glynn(Liam Lynch 72), Darren McKenna
Subs not used: Michael Lee, Philip Coffee.
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Despite the official Man of the Match being Conan Byrne and he did play a blinder although failed to take a number of opportunities when presented, I personally thought Shaun Williams played extremely well today. Gary O'Neill played 80 minutes of the game and did very well also, but my MOTM is Williams.
Referee:Sean Grant (Wexford Youths)
Attendance: 1,026
About Gareth Penrose
Gareth Penrose founded extratime.com in 2008 and has worked as a reporter / editor / developer on the site since.
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