Longford Town 1 - 1 Derry City

• Deniese O'Flaherty
• Sat, Sep 18 2010


A fantastic second half performance from Longford Town on Friday night denied Derry City a chance of regaining top spot in the First Division.

After being outplayed in the first half the Town worked hard to get back on level terms. Their equaliser came in the 64th minute when a long ball over the top by Thomas Hyland was headed in by Lee Roche from close range.

Roche had a chance to grab his second of the night in the 79th minute. After blocking down Scotlock's ball he raced through on goal and with Derry keeper Eugene Ferry out of goal the striker’s shot hit the butt of the post and went wide.

Though Town winger Cathal Brady could’ve handed Derry the win right at the end but luckily the post denied him from scoring an embarrassing own goal. Town have to thank goalkeeper Stephen Conlon for this point. The neminder thwarted Derry on numerous occasions; producing some fantastic saves.

The home side had started the game brightly. Defender John Lester had their first attempt on goal in the second minute; Don Cowan provided the cross but Lester’s header just went over. Two minutes later and Thomas Hyland had a chance but his header was gathered by Derry netminder Eugene Ferry.

Against the run of play the visitors broke the deadlock. Pat McEleney picked up the ball about 25 yards out and while the Town defence backed off him he decided to try his luck and unleashed an unstoppable shot that flew in past Town keeper Stephen Conlon.

Derry were buoyed up by that goal and started to dominate possession but in the 17th minute Mark Salmon had a great opportunity to get Town back on level terms but Ferry got down well to save the midfielder’s curling shot.

Conlon was far the busier of the two keepers in the opening half and kept his side in the game on more than one occasion. In the 22nd McEleney put in a perfect pass to James McClean but the Town keeper brought off a superb save to deny the winger with his foot. In the 33rd minute Conlon was forced into making another save, this time stretching to save Mark Scotlock’s header. Right on the stroke of half-time the Town netminder pulled off another great save to prevent McEleney from getting his second of the game.

It was the exact same in the second half as Derry pressed to double their advantage. In the 62nd minute Town defender Victor Ekanem was caught out by Ferry’s long ball, the ball fell to Farren but Conlon produced another fantastic save.

But two minutes later Derry were to rue not putting their chances away when Town drew level thanks to Lee Roche. The goal stunned the visitors and sprung the home side into life. Suddenly it was game on.

Roche had a chance in the 79th minute to double his tally and put Town in front; after blocking down Scotlock's ball he raced through on goal and with Ferry out of goal the striker’s shot hit the butt of the post and went wide.

With time running out Derry started to pike on the pressure as they went in search of a late winner. One minute from normal time Conlon denied McClean with a fingertip save and right before the end Town’s Cathal Brady nearly put the ball into his own net. Luckily the post saved his blushes. Substitute Darren McCauley failed to find the target with the rebound.

Longford Town: Conlon, Ekanem, Byrne, Lester, K Cronin, Hyland, Brady, Salmon, Lee (Walsh 83), Freeman (Oladele 75), Cowan (L Roche 26).
Subs not used: G Cronin, A Roche

Derry City: Feery, McCallion, McChrystal, Scotlock, Friars (Lafferty 72), P McEleney, Molloy, S McEleney (McCauley 77'), McClean, Farren, Parkhouse (Cassidy 79).
Subs not used: Kelly, McDaid.

Referee: J Grimes (Dublin))
Extratime Man of the Match: Stephen Conlon (Longford Town)