Wicklow 2-23 Longford 1-20
Wicklow continued their winning streak over Longford in the Leinster SFC with a six-point win over the Midlanders in Pearse Park after extra time.
Played on a beautiful day, this game was a real championship encounter that had so much to keep the crowd entertained.
Oisín McConville’s side had to grab a late equaliser to bring this game to extra time, but they dominated that period. Dean Healy scored a terrific two-pointer while substitute keeper Mark Jackson fired over a 45. Kevin Quinn sealed the win with a goal in the second half of extra time.
Longford finished the game with 14 men after Ryan Moffett received a second yellow card.
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Paddy O’Keane and Quinn (free) kicked over earlier scores for Wicklow while Matthew Carey (free) and Jayson Matthews got Longford’s scores.
Longford then took control of the game and went into a five-point lead. Oran Kenny kicked over a fantastic two-pointer while James Moran, Matthews and McCabe chipped in to give them a 0-7 to 0-2 lead after 20 minutes of play.
Wicklow then came back into the game. Oisín McGraynor bagged three points (one two-pointer), a well-taken point from Quinn and a fine Liam O’Neill point levelled matters for the third time in the 26th minute.
Dylan Farrell and McGraynor (free) traded scores before the home side ended the first half well. Carey and Matthews edged them ahead by two in the 34th minute and just before the half-time whistle Farrell hit over a two-point free to give his side a four-point lead going into the break.
Within the first four minutes of the second half, Wicklow cut the deficit to just one point with scores from McGraynor, John Paul Nolan (45) and Joe Prendergast. And in the 42nd minute the Garden County raised the green flag when Padraig O’Toole found the back of the net with an excellent strike.
Dessie Reynolds finished off a fine move with a super strike to draw the game level again in the 48th minute. Both sides were guilty of some poor shot selection and shooting, and in the final quarter of the game, it was level three times.
Wicklow will feel aggrieved not to have been awarded at least two frees in the 64th minute but when McConville remonstrated with the referee, Longford were awarded a free in from the 20-metre line, which Carey duly kicked over.
Quinn levelled with three minutes of normal time remaining. The additional time was all drama. Aaron Farrell looked like he had won the game for Longford but Wicklow hit the crossbar before O’Toole brought the game to extra time.
Wicklow: Cathal Fitzgearld; Tom Moran, Darragh Fee, Malachy Stone; Joe Prendergast (0-0-1), Patrick Keane (0-0-2), Matt Nolan; Dean Healy (0-1-1), Liam O’Neill (0-0-1); John Paul Nolan (0-0-1, ‘45), Padraig O’Toole (1-0-1), Mark Kenny; Oisin McGraynor (0-1-5, 1f), Kevin Quinn (1-0-5,4fs), Cathal Baker. Subs: Christopher O’Brien (0-0-1) for Baker (41), Conor Fee for O’Neill (59), Gavin Fogarty for Kenny (61), Mark Jackson (0-0-1, ‘45) for Fitzgerald (70), Jacques Mac Camhoil for Stone (83), Lorcan Smith for O’Keane (90)
Longford: Micheal Hughes; Patrick Fox, Oisin O’Toole, Bryan Masterson; Cian Brady, Ryan Moffett, James Moran (0-0-1); Dessie Reynolds (1-0-0), Daire Duggan; Jayson Matthews (0-0-4, 2fs), Dylan Farrell (0-1-1 1tpf), Aaron Farrell (0-0-1); Matthew Carey (0-2-3, 1tpf, 2fs), Cathal McCabe (0-0-1, m), Oran Kenny (0-1-1). Subs: Keelin McGann for D Farrell (60), Ruairi Harkin for Kenny (69), Shane Campbell for Reynolds (79), Daragh Finlass for Masterson (85), Sean O’Sullivan for Brady (88)
Referee: Liam Devenney (Mayo)
