- Deniese O'Flaherty
- Sun, Sep 08 2013
After three unsuccessful attempts Longford Town finally registered their first win of the season over Finn Harps on Saturday night.
Harps have a decent record over the Midlanders in recent seasons especially away from home but on this occasion they failed to come away with anything.
It was a comfortable win for Longford but when they raced into a 3-0 lead they sat back and invited Finn Harps onto them and the Donegal side should’ve punished that. They did pull a goal back in the 70th minute through Sean McCarron and could very easily have got a second seven minutes later but Shane McGinty’s low drive just went wide.
It was McCarrron who had the game’s first chance but he blasted over from about 16 yards out in the 13th minute. Six minutes later Longford opened the scoring; right-back Jamie Mulhall went racing down the wing and after holding off two challenges he put a low ball in that Dean Ebbe finished from close range.
Longford should’ve doubled their lead in the 24th minute; David O’Sullivan went one and one with Harps keeper Ciaran Gallagher, he got his shot in but it was off target and went just wide.
Harps had a chance to level in the 28th minute; McCarron played the ball to the unmarked Lee Toland but he blazed over. Ebbe and O’Sullivan then had chances just before the break for the home side.
Longford doubled their advantage in the 55th minute when after a number of thwarted efforts Rhys Gorman’s header was deemed to have crossed the line. In the 60th minute the unlucky O’Sullivan squandered another chance.
It was all Longford at this stage and in the 68th minute they grabbed their third goal; Mulahall the provider for Josh O’Hanlon to finish to the net.
Longford then sat back and allowed Harps to try and get back into the game. They pulled a goal back in the 70th minute through McCarron and minutes later McGinty was so unlucky with his powerful drive.
Down the other end Keith Quinn’s shot in the 79th minute was tipped over by Gallagher and then minutes later the netminder denied Ebbe from grabbing his second goal of the game. Longford substitute Gary Shaw was guilty of a glaring miss in the 86th minute as his side held on for a much needed win and for Harps, they now turn their attentions to their FAI Cup Quarter Final tie with Drogheda Utd on Friday night.
Longford Town: Chris Bennion; Jamie Mulhall, Noel Haverty, Corie Tracey, Keith Quinn; Dean Ebbe, Ryan Connolly, Rhys Gorman, Derek O’Brien (Daniel Purdy 27); Josh O’Hanlon (Gary Shaw 77), David O’Sullivan (Keith Gillespie 70).
Subs not used:
Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher; James Doherty, Josh Mailey, Keith Cowan, Ciaran Coll; Shaun McGowan (Paul McVeigh 58), Shane McGinty, Pat McCann, Mark Forker (Jordan Duffy 86); Sean McCarron, Lee Toland (Michael Doherty 58).
Subs not used:
Referee: Robert Harvey.
Attendance:
