Report: Longford Town 0 - 3 Sporting Fingal
Credit:
Sporting Fingal gained revenge for their first game of the season drubbing at the hands of Longford Town to come away from Flancare Park with all three points. Second half goals from Conan Byrne, Fiachra McArdle and Dinny Corcoran secured all three points for the Dublin club.
This win coupled with results elsewhere have put Sporting Fingal right in the hunt for promotion, they are now a point behind second placed Waterford Utd and Shelbourne and are just trailing the leaders Dundalk by three points.
One month ago the Town recorded a cracking 2-0 home win over Shelbourne and were sitting in fourth place in the table. Four defeats in a row against Monaghan Utd, Wexford Youths, Athlone Town and now Sporting Fingal has seen them drop to fifth seven points behind Limerick who now occupy fourth place. There's only eight points separating the Town and bottom side Kildare County.
The Town were forced to field without four regulars; midfielder Luke Hardy was suspended while defenders Alan O'Riordan and Ronan Frawley and forward Darren McKenna were all injured, having picked up knocks against Athlone Town last weekend.
Aaron Callaghan gave home debuts to new signings Nathan Weiss on the wing and Robert Douglas up front while Stephen Gough on his second stint at the club started at full-back. For his first game Weiss had a good game, getting himself forward down the wing but unfortunately for the home side they just couldn't create anything.
It was an extremely dour and disappointing performance from the home side who never forced one save out of Sporting ‘keeper Steve Williams. Striker Darren McKenna was a massive loss for the home side and they missed his attacking prowess up front.
The first real effort of note on goal came from the away side in the twenty second minute. Robbie Doyle who was a menace the last time these two sides met sliced his shot just wide of the post after being played in by former Dundalk player Fiachra McArdle.
The only other chance in the opening half came again from Sporting. Conan Byrne unleashed a cracking shot from about 30 yards out that went just inches wide of Neil Gallagher’s goal.
Byrne wasn’t to be denied eight minutes after the restart. Jim Crawford started the move, he laid the ball off to Doyle who flicked the ball into the path of Byrne who struck a low shot past Gallagher. It was a rather weak effort which the ‘keeper should’ve dealt with.
On the hour mark Doyle had a chance to double his side’s advantage but he dragged his shot wide. Sporting had the ball in the net in the 76th minute but substitute Daniel Corcoran’s effort was disallowed by referee Hugo Whoriskey.
The away side did eventually get their second goal in the 82nd minute. Corcoran was the provider and it was McArdle who finished. Three minutes from time it was 3-0 to Sporting Fingal when Corcoran finally got on the scoresheet.
McArdle threaded the ball through to Corcoran who burst through the Town’s defence. Gallagher came out of goal but the substitute made no mistake putting the ball past the netminder.
Longford Town: Neil Gallagher; Daire Doyle, Stephen Gough, Stephen Brennan; Daithi Garry, Damien Rushe, Shane Harte, Alan Lynch (Gary Murphy 64), Nathan Weiss (Evan Connolly 80); Robert Douglas (Jason Oladele 64), Iarfhlaith Davoren.
Subs not used: Jimmy Hussey, Kevin Grehan.
Booked: R Douglas
Sporting Fingal: Steve Williams; Derek Tyrell, Chris Deans, Philip Byrne, Brian Gannon; Conan Byrne, Jim Crawford (Colm James 85), Paul Caffrey, Fiachra McArdle (Brian Morrisroe 88); Peter Hynes (Dinny Corcoran 67), Robbie Doyle
Subs not used: James Hussey, Brian Kelly.
Booked: P Caffrey.
Referee: Hugo Whoriskey (Meath).
