Longford senior football team manager Mike Solan.
Tailteann Cup Group Four
Longford 1-20 (1-7-6) Carlow 1-15 (1-3-9)
By Kieran Murphy at Glenisk O'Connor Park
Longford’s Matthew Carey scored 0-15 as Longford ended their Tailteann Cup campaign with a Group Four win over Carlow in Tullamore on Sunday. The centre-forward proved impossible to stop as he nailed five two-pointers from placed balls and play.
With the aid of a strong breeze, Oran Kenny opening the scoring with a two-pointer for Longford. Ross Dunphy replied with a point for Carlow. Matthew Carey picked off the first of his five two-pointers on ten minutes. This was followed by a 12th minute goal from Kenny when he intercepted a Carlow pass and exacted full punishment for the error.
Carlow had their goal chances. Conor Doyle found a way through the Longford defence but his shot went left and wide. Conor Crowley was also crowded out at the expense of a 45 which was not converted.
Meanwhile, the eventual winners used the wind to build up a lead with three of their forwards registering two pointers as they took a 1-17 to 0-6 advantage into the second half. Carlow lost Crowley to a black card in injury time just before the interval which didn’t help their cause.
They still got off to a great start to the second half with Kyle Nolan firing over a two-pointer from the throw-in. They were unable to build on it with the Longford defence on top.
The Carlow goal arrived in the final quarter when Ross Dunphy took the scoring pass from John Murphy. With time ebbing away, Niall Hickey was unlucky to see his double effort saved by an alert Patrick Collum in the Longford goal.
With 11 minutes left to play, when Doyle added a Carlow two-point free the comeback still looked on, but it never materialised as Longford held out.
Scorers for Longford: M Carey 0-15 (2-fs, 3-2pfs, 2-2p), O Kenny 1-2 (1-2p), J Moran 0-2 (1-2p), A Farrell 0-1.
Scorers for Carlow: C Doyle 0-4 (2pf, 2p), R Dunphy 1-1, D Foley 0-3 (fs), S Murphy, C Crowley (1f), K Nolan (1-2p) 0-2 each, K Murphy 0-1 (f).
LONGFORD: Patrick Collum; Patrick Fox, Oisin O’Toole, Bryan Masterson; Darragh Finlass, Cian Brady, Dessie Reynolds; Daire Duggan, Ryan Moffett; Caolan Lynch, Matthew Carey, James Moran; Aaron Farrell, Dylan Farrell, Oran Kenny.
Subs: Jayson Matthews for Lynch (44), Iarla O’Sullivan for Moran (63), Paddy Moran for Kenny (68),
CARLOW: Johnny Furey; Paddy McDonnell, Mark Furey, Lee Moore; John Phiri, Niall Hickey, John Murphy; Kyle Nolan, Conor Doyle; Ross Dunphy, Darragh Foley, Mikey Bambrick; Conor Crowley, Kevin Murphy, Sean Murphy.
Subs: Shane Clarke for Foley (45), Aaron Amond for K Murphy (51), Jamie Clarke for M Furey (55), Paddy Regan for J Murphy (63), Adam Burgess for Nolan (68).
Referee: Liam Devenney (Mayo).