Abbeylara won the Longford Senior football championship title for the very first time when they registered a surprise win over a very disappointing Fr Manning Gaels side at Pearse Park.

Beaten in the county final for the previous two years, it was a case of third-time lucky for the men from Abbeylara, who were full value for their eight-point victory in a poor game that failed to live up to expectations.

The Gaels were the red-hot favourites to win the title for the fourth time in five years. But from the moment they conceded a giftgoal with just eight minutes gone on the clock, they were in trouble against their very determined opponents.

A harmless kick by Terry Drake was completely misjudged by Gaels keeper Francis Noonan, who fumbled the ball into his own net, and when Abbeylara scored a second goal a minute into stoppage-time at the end of the first half, the writing was on the wall for the Gaels.

That goal came from a penalty converted by Terry Drake. That left Abbey holding a very commanding 2-4 to 0-1 lead at the break.

ABBEYLARA: JJ Reilly; S Higgins, D Ledwith, C Drake; J McEntire, E Ledwith, K Brady; A O'Connor, T Drake (2-2, 1-0 pen, 0-1 point); E Farrell, P Lynch, P Smith; G Fay, N Sheridan (0-3, one free), M O'Connor (0-1). Sub: J O'Brien for Smith (48 mins);

FR MANNING GAELS: F Noonan; M Kane, G Brady, P McCormack; S Gallagher, F McNamee, Martin Mulleady; J Fitzpatrick, D Hannify (0-2, one free); P Brady, D McLoughlin, C Hannify; J Breslin, P Davis (0-2, one free), Michael Mulleady. Subs: D Gallagher for P Brady (36 mins); J Davis for McLoughlin (41); P McWade for Kane (48); D McKeon for P Davis (55).

Referee: S Flood (Mostrim).