Sporting Fingal 0-0 Longford Town

Sporting Fingal failed to sufficiently close the gap at the top of the table, 24hrs after Dundalk stretched their lead over the Santry side to nine points. In a game of little action, Longford came away with a draw as, despite controlling most of the game, Sporting just couldn’t score…and rarely looked likely.

The opening forty five minutes were a drab affair with neither side creating many clear chances. Sporting had made six changes from their last outing four days ago, most notably up front with neither Robbie Doyle (suspended) or Peter Hynes starting. It seemed their presence was missing as Sporting struggled in the final third.

Longford’s only chance of the half came as early as the seventh minute when Jason Oladele’s impressive run down the left saw him take on two Sporting players. However having dispatched of first Brain Gannon, and then Philip Byrne, Oladele clipped his shot just over the bar from an acute angle.

Sporting’s Daniel Corcoran burst through the Longford back-four moments later and would have scored but for the alertness of Neil Gallagher in the visitor’s goal. Five minutes later and Gallagher could only parry Paul Byrne’s instinctive shot from twenty yards out into the path of Daniel Corcoran, however the striker didn’t realise he had so much time and scuffed his effort straight at the keeper.

Other than that there wasn’t much to comment on other than Fingal’s Freddie the Fox falling on his arse behind the Longford goal, much to the amusement of the admirably loud home fans. Half time 0-0.

The second half started better for the hosts who, after sustained pressure, should have scored from any one of three chances on the hour mark. First, Sporting’s very own Philip Byrne cleared Conan Byrne’s corner off the line. Seconds later, another corner from Conan Byrne this time found Paul Byrne but his improvised shot went just over. Within a minute, Conan Byrne again was the provider from a corner; but Philip Byrne’s header was well saved by Gallagher.

On sixty eight minutes Daniel Corcoran had the ball at his feet around the penalty spot. He rightly rolled the ball to the unmarked McArdle eight yards out, however his side-footed finish went miles over. Awful. Longford were posing no threat by this point and it was one-way traffic throughout the second half. Not quality traffic by any stretch of the imagination, but it was certainly one way.

However, despite the final twenty minutes being played deep in Longford’s half, Sporting could not force a goal, and will be mightily disappointed with the two below-par draws this week. Waterford’s victory tonight gives them real hope in the promotion race, but Sporting, along with Shels’ it must be said, have messed up.

Sporting Fingal: Brendan Clarke; Brian Gannon, Philip Byrne, Barry Ferguson, John Frost; Conan Byrne (Paul Caffrey 84), Colm James (Peter Hynes 84), Aidan Collins, Fiachra McArdle (Brian Morrisroe 72); Dinny Corcoran, Paul Byrne.
Subs not used: Steve Williams, Chris Deans.

Longford Town: Neil Gallagher; Stephen Gough (Daithi Garry 73), Alan O’Riordan, Andy Bermingham, Daire Doyle; Damien Rushe, Shane Harte, Luke Hardy, Alan Lynch (Ronan Frawley 87); Jason Oladele, Darren McKenna (Nathan Weiss 89).
Subs not used: John McGuinness, Ken Butler.

Referee: Sean Doyle (Wexford).

Extratime Man of the Match: Conan Byrne (Sporting Fingal) -  Pity no-one could finish any of his crosses.