- Deniese O'Flaherty
- Sun, Jul 25 2021
Deniese O’Flaherty reports from Bishopsgate
Longford Town advanced to the second Round of the FAI Cup with a comfortable win over a battling Bangor Greenhillls Greenpark side at Bishopsgate on Saturday evening.
Town opened the scoring in the 17th minute through Dean Williams but had to wait until the 65th minute for their second; a penalty from Dylan Grimes. Darragh Nugent, Callum Warfield and Aaron O’Driscoll with the other goals.
With Town sitting at the bottom of the Premier Division table, many thought there could be a cup upset in this tie but once Town scored their second goal there was no way back for Bangor.
Nugent had the game’s first chance but he blasted his effort over the bar in the fifth minute. In the 10th minute Bangor keeper Thomas Murphy was called into making a number of fine saves; Karl Chambers’ cross into the box found Conor Davis but he was stopped by Murphy, the netminder then denied Williams before he gathered Rob Manley’s effort.
The deadlock was broken in the 17th minute; Chambers played the ball into Williams and he found the net with a neat finish. Down the other end in the 22nd minute Lee Steacy came out to gather Darren Goode’s cross into the box.
Aodh Dervin’s well struck free-kick came off the crossbar on the half hour mark. But as the half went on the visitors began to come into the game. In the 43rd minute Mark McCarthy’s throw-in fell to David O’Sullivan but he hooked the ball over the bar.
Two minutes into the second half Derek Prendergast had a chance but he headed straight at Steacy. In the 59th minute substitute Aaron McNally squandered a great chance to get Town’s second; he picked up Shane Elworthy’s pass but blasted the ball over the bar when it was easier to score.
Aaron O’Driscoll was called into action in the 62nd minute; deflecting the ball out for a corner after a fine cross in from substitute Aaron McQuirk. Town needed a second goal to settle them and it came in the 65th minute; Manley was taken down in the box by McCarthy and Grimes made no mistake.
Five minutes later and Town got a third goal; a clearance fell to Nugent and from about 25 yards the Shamrock Rovers loanee rifled a shot past Murphy with the outside of his foot..
It was all Town as their fitness and quality began to show. Credit to Bangor they never gave up. Town continued to press for another goal and it came in the 89th minute; a cross from Shane Elworthy was headed home by Warfield.
The scoring didn’t end there and the excellent Aaron O’Driscoll wrapped up the win in stoppage time, heading home Matthew O’Brien’s corner.
Bangor GG: Thomas Murphy; Evan Farrell, Derek Prendergast, Cian Fadden (Daniel Mullen 79), Mark McCarthy (Cian Byrne 71); Adam Maher, Kevin Coffey (Philip Halligan 79), Alex O’Callaghan (Eoin McCurtin 79), Jordan Andre; Darren Goode (Aaron McQuirk 28), David O’Sullivan.
Subs not used: Nathan Murphy, Jack Savage
Booked: Eoin McCurtin (81)
Longford Town: Lee Steacy; Shane Elworthy, Mick McDonnell, Aaron O’Driscoll, Karl Chambers; Aodh Dervin (Aaron Robinson 68), Darragh Nugent; Rob Manley (Aaron Dobbs 74), Conor Davis (Aaron McNally 56), Dylan Grimes (Matthew O’Brien 74); Dean Williams (Callum Warfield 75)
Subs not used: Mick Kelly, Paddy Kirk, Dean Zambra, Joe Manley.
Booked: None.
Referee: Paul Norton
Extratime.com player of the match: Aaron O’Driscoll (Longford Town)
