Report: Sporting Fingal 1 - 1 Longford Town

Sporting made just two changes from their victory last week with Philip Byrne replacing Brian Gannon and Joey O’Neill replacing Brian Kelly. Robbie Doyle was again wearing ridiculously unneeded leggings, its May. Longford replaced Daire Doyle and Alan Lynch with Darren McKenna and Damien Rushe from the side that won so convincingly last week.

Both sides struggled to create any clear openings in the opening stages with Sporting’s’ Colm James’ two ambitious efforts all of note in a quiet opening twenty minutes. Then out of nothing Robbie Doyle did his man down the right, cut inside along the goal line and tried placing it through Neil Gallagher’s legs however the keeper managed to turn it over.

Doyle was growing impatient up front as the passes just didn’t come and it was Longford who spurned the next chance. Damien Rushe found space on the left and cut a cross back to Brian Kelly on the penalty spot but his low volley was well saved by Steve Williams.

Lazy defending from the visitors at the edge of their own area on the half hour almost let in Sporting, but neither Conan Byrne nor Paul Caffrey were alert enough to capitalise as the score remained goalless.

Longford took the lead just after the break after Brian Kelly found room at the left corner flag to cross through three Black shirts for Damien Rushe, whose stretch just about made it to the ball and he stabbed home. Sporting retaliated immediately as Caffrey’s effort from outside the box was deflected over. After initially good defending from the resulting corner, Longford stood in a circle at the edge of their box and watched the ball drop kindly for Peter Hynes whose fine effort cannoned off the crossbar and out.

Longford continued to press down the left hand side but it was Sporting who should have scored on the hour mark, as Hynes released Doyle on the right. His effort was saved but Ronan Frawley’s clearance rolled straight to Conan Byrne on the edge of the box with no keeper in goals. He didn’t shoot first time however, allowing Ryan O’Donnell time to charge down his effort. Calls for handball came from the Sporting players but the ref rightly waved on.

On sixty-eight minutes Conan Byrne ran the width of the pitch before being tackled outside the area. The ball fell for O’Neill whose awful effort found Hynes on the penalty spot. He laid off for Caffrey whose effort rolled agonisingly wide of the far post.

On seventy-four minutes Ryan Casey put in a fantastic cross and must have grimaced when he saw Davoren dive in front of his man to win a glancing header that was excellently saved by Steve Williams. Straight away, down the other end, Conan Byrne crossed for Robbie Doyle to spectacularly volley at goal from six yards only for Neil Gallagher to match Williams heroics of moments before.

However, ten minutes later Sporting got the equaliser they were chasing. Andy Bermingham was harshly adjudged to have dragged Philip Byrne to ground right in front of goal, and Robbie Doyle coolly slotted the penalty away.

Doyle could have won it on ninety minutes, as he looked clear on goal, however a powerful block by the impressive Andy Bermingham left the scores at one apiece at the final whistle.

Sporting Fingal: Steve Williams; Derek Tyrell, Dave Rogers, Philip Byrne, Joey O’Neill (Joe Clancy 87); Colm James (Fiachra McArdle 78), Aidan Collins, Paul Caffrey, Conan Byrne; Peter Hynes (Dinny Corcoran 80), Robbie Doyle.
Subs not used: Chris Deans, David Bracken.

Longford Town: Neil Gallagher; Ryan O’Donnell, Ronan Frawley, Andy Bermingham, Ryan Casey; Gary Murphy, Luke Hardy, Damien Rushe, Iarfhlaith Davoren; Darren McKenna, Brian Kelly (Daithi Garry 70).
Subs not used: Stephen Brennan, Alan O’Riordan, Dean Barrett, Evan Connolly.

Referee: Darren Coombes.

Man of the Match: Iarfhlaith Davoren. Worked well down the left and caused all sorts of problems in the second half.