Longford give value for money with comfortable win over Carlow

Longford 1-13 Carlow 0-10

Longford booked their place in the O'Byrne Cup semi-final for the fourth year in a row with six points to spare over Carlow at Pearse Park on Sunday afternoon.

Following on from their win against Kildare in their opening game, Padraic Davis's side followed that up with victory against a strong Carlow side who never looked like troubling Longford. Gerard Flynn, Darren Gallagher, Colm Smyth, Rian Brady and Oran Kenny were excellent throughout for a Longford side who were full value for the win.

Carlow opened the scoring in the ninth minute when Paul Broderick pointed over. Longford responded straight away with a fine point from Darren Gallagher.

Powerful shot

They then took a hold of the game and were ahead by five in the 19th minute. Darragh Foley (free) and Daniel St Ledger (45) cut the gap to three in the 25th minute. Dessie Reynolds and Gerard Flynn extended Longford's lead to five on the half-hour mark. Joseph Hagan was unlucky to see his powerful shot come off the crossbar as Longford led by four at the break: 0-8 to 0-4.

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Seán Murphy hit over a fine point for Carlow in the 38th minute, but once again Longford hit back with an excellent point from Oran Kenny and a Gallagher free. The lead was extended to nine points in the 57th minute when Dessie Reynolds found the back of the net after a great run by Kenny, who linked up with Colm P Smyth and he palmed the ball to Reynolds.

Carlow replied with three points in a row as Longford began to empty their bench. Substitute Darragh Doherty got Longford’s final point of the game while Broderick pointed over a late free.

Scorers

Longford: D Reynolds 1-01, D Gallagher 0-04 (2fs), R Brady 0-03 (1m), O Kenny 0-02, G Flynn, J Hagan (m), D Doherty 0-01 each. Carlow: B Broderick 0-04 (3fs), D St Ledger 0-02 (1 45), S Reilly, S Murphy, D Foley (f), A Kehoe 0-01 each

LONGFORD: P Farrell; P Fox (S Farrell 64), A Farrell, PJ Masterson (M Cahill 66); I O'Sullivan (L Hughes 29), B O'Farrell, G Flynn (G Rogers 53); D Gallagher (D Duggan 64), K Diffley; P Lynn (D Doherty 52), CP Smyth, D Reynolds (E McCormack 64); R Brady, J Hagan (T McGann 66), O Kenny (A McGuire 59).

CARLOW: R Sansom; D Moran (M Bambrick 53), S Redmond, L Roberts; S Reilly, R Walker, N Roche (J Moore ht); S Murphy, J Murphy; P Broderick, D Foley, C Doyle (J McGrath 55); A Kehoe (D Walshe 44), C Crowley (A Kelly 70+1), D St Ledger.

Referee: C Reilly (Dublin)