Reaction to Sporting’s draw with Longford

Sporting Fingal were desperately disappointed that they could not get three points to close in on the top three on Friday night. A late Robbie Doyle penalty cancelled out Damien Rushe’s forty eight minute goal to leave the Dublin outfit eight points off the pace, at fourth in the league.

Second half substitute Joe Clancy felt his side has to turn draws in wins at home:

“One point is not enough. We’re trying to close the gap [on Dundalk], but we need to win these games. They weren’t bad but there’s no one in this league that I think we’ve seen who we don’t think we’re better than. So like I said I think we should be winning these games at home.

“We had a few [penalty] decisions that could have gone our way so maybe we got what we deserved.

“We could have pushed on and won it but it wasn’t to be I suppose. We’re disappointed we haven’t won it, that’s the gist of it. We’re happy we didn’t lose, and we keep unbeaten record here but we should be winning these games really".

Goal scorer and seemingly tireless Robbie Doyle was equally disappointed with the result:

“Personally I’m disappointed. Going into the game I think we should have had enough to beat them. We really owed them one after our last game. (An opening day 5-1 loss) I’m disappointed I should have had one before the penalty. It was a bad miss on my part".

“It wasn’t as open as last week, the balls were getting cut out and chances were limited but we just had to keep on working hard. Their keeper pulled off some great saves.

“If we had have dropped off and lost all three points tonight it would have been a big difference but we got a point out of it where it looked like we wouldn’t get anything".

Speaking of his penalty, Doyle spoke of how he used a bit of trickery to beat the man opposite him in goals:

“He knew me. I know Gally (Neil Gallagher); I played with him for a couple of years so he knows where I put them. I tried to give him the eyes and luckily it went in with a little Johnny Aldridge step so I was happy enough".

Iarflaith Davoren was a threat for much of the second half down Longford’s left hand side and he was delighted his side held on for a point.

“It was a good game for first division. I thought Fingal moved the ball very well. I think when we went one nil up, we kind of sat back".

“I’m not sure if I can give out about referees, but I think it was a harsh penalty. I think he bottled it. But to be honest he reffed it very well apart from that though, you know we all make mistakes".

“I think they deserved to get back to one all, it’s just the way it happened that we’re disappointed with. If it was a clear cut goal, one all, they probably deserved it. But we thought that with ten minutes to go, we were one nil up…"

Longford are in good form at the moment, unbeaten in four now, and Davoren paid respect to their manager, Aaron Callaghan, for all the work the team as a whole has put in:

“Unbeaten for now, happy days. We seem to have kind of clicked over the last few games now. Longford only kept on two players from last year, Shay Kelly and Daire Doyle so we’re on the road up. Aaron’s a great coach.”

The result leaves the sides as you were, fourth and fifth in the table.