EAMONN COLEMAN'S Longford side clinched promotion to Division Three of the National Football League when they scored a runaway 22-point (4-19 to 1-6) victory over a very poor London side at Pearse Park yesterday.

It was all over as a contest at half-time, at which stage Longford had built up a 2-10 to 0-2 lead, the goals coming from a Dessie Barry penalty and a cracking effort by their talented teenager Trevor Smullen.

Smullen, captain of the Irish under-19 basketball team, scored another gem of a goal in the second half as rampant Longford added a further 2-9 to their very tally. Niall Sheridan scored the other goal.

James Harnan grabbed a consolation goal for London midway through the second half but they were simply outclassed by a very slick Longford side who kicked some great scores.

Among the attendance were Down footballer Greg Blaney and former Dublin great Sean Doherty. Blaney's brothers Eamon and Kevin and Doherty's son, Sean Jnr, were in action for London.

Wicklow duly booked their place in the quarter-finals of the National League and a showdown with Donegal with a nine-point (1-17 to 1-8) win over Waterford at Aughrim yesterday.

Stephen Cunningham cancelled out a Kevin O'Brien goal for Wicklow before half-time and this left Waterford trailing by three points, 1-7 to 1-4, at the break.

Waterford narrowed the gap to two points (1-9 to 1-7) in the third quarter before Wicklow finally took control to score eight points in the last 15 minutes to copper-fasten victory and an unbeaten run in the division.

As expected, Offaly recorded an easy victory over Kilkenny (1-17 to 1-8) in Tullamore, but with Longford making no mistakes the result was meaningless and they will languish for another year in Division Four.

Offaly, playing with determination, went six points up within as many minutes helped by a goal by John Kenny. They added for the points by David Reynolds and Pat Daly, before Kilkenny opened their account in the 13th minute when Brian MeEvoy pointed a free.

The visitors added two further points but Offaly roused themselves again and points by Pat Daly, Finbar Curran and David Reynolds left them in front by 1-9 to 0-4 at the interval.

Kilkenny played with spirit but were let down by inaccurate passing and weak finishing. Offaly had increased their lead to 13 to 0-6 before finally conceding a goal to Bernard McGuire 11 minutes from the end.

The sending-off of Leinster squad member Sean Kavanagh and Limerick's Pat Keyes 10 minutes into the second half was the big talking point at Askeaton where Carlow, without 10 Eire Og players, still managed to beat a disappointing Limerick by 0-15 to 0-12.

The sending-off will cost Kavanagh his place in the interprovincial football championships. Both players were a little unfortunate to be dismissed.

The sides were level four times in the first half and at halftime it was 0-7 each.