Sport

Longford make most of numerical advantage

Tolka Rovers 1 Longford Town 4 Longford Town endured the shock of conceding a goal after just 40 seconds before crushing 10-…

Paul Buttner Frank Cooke Park
Mon Jul 28 2003 - 01:00

Tolka Rovers 1 Longford Town 4Longford Town endured the shock of conceding a goal after just 40 seconds before crushing 10-man Tolka Rovers at Frank Cooke Park.The Leinster Senior League hopefuls scarcely helped themselves thereafter, as they had to play for almost 80 minutes without striker Conor Ryan who ruined their dream start by getting sent off.

Mick Dempsey could only parry a shot from Derek McCormack and Stephen Murphy shot home the rebound to give Tolka the perfect start with not even a minute up on referee Damien Hancock's watch.

But that perfect start turned sour on 13 minutes when Ryan was guilty of a lunging challenge on Longford captain Barry Ferguson and Hancock showed him a straight red card.

Despite enjoying plenty of possession, it took Longford until the 28th minute to get back into it with Alan Kirby side-footing home after Shane Barrett pulled the ball back from the end-line.

READ MORE

Substitute Brian Byrne then put Longford in the driving seat with a superb solo goal on the hour mark, gliding through from midfield to beat Liam Kirwan with a curling left-foot shot.

The game was up for Tolka Rovers on 73 minutes when man-of-the-match Barrett rose at the back post to head home Byrne's left-wing cross.

A bizarre own goal six minutes from time brought the fourth goal, Kirwan's clearance striking defender Paul Whelan and trickling into the net.

"It was a dream start to get a goal so early, but the sending off was a sucker punch for us," said Tolka Rovers manager Ken Gibbons.

"I felt it was a bit harsh. Conor is an honest lad and he said that his feet just got tangled up with their lad's feet. The referee thought otherwise and sent him off.

"That was the turning point as we were doing well up till then.

"But it was always going to be backs to the wall stuff for us and I think in the last 20 minutes their fitness really told, especially against 10 men.

"But you never know what might have happened had we had 11 players for the 90 minutes," he added.

TOLKA ROVERS: Kirwan; Kelly, Moore, Cummins (P Whelan, 67 mins), Garvin; Campbell, Brennan, Fitzpatrick (O'Leary, 87 mins), Murphy; Ryan, McCormack (Molloy, 56 mins).

LONGFORD TOWN: Dempsey; Alan Murphy, Ferguson, McGovern, Dillon (Byrne, half-time); Kirby, Sheridan (Mulvihill, 75 mins), Keogh, Prunty; Lavine (Francis, 56 mins), Barrett.

Referee: D Hancock (Dublin)