Longford held off an amazing Wexford second-half recovery to eventually emerge with a single-point victory in this enthralling Leinster Under-21 football championship semi-final at O’Moore Park, Portlaoise, last night.

Longford rocked Wexford with a blistering opening 15 minutes at the end of which they led 2-5 to 0-0, leaving them in a comfortable position.

Three early points from Paddy Thompson, James McGivney and Mark Hughes helped Longford take the initiative with full-forward Mark Hughes rocking Wexford with a goal on eight and 10 minutes leaving them leading 2-3 to 0-0.

Having added further points through two Robbie Smyth frees, it saw Wexford having to wait until the 20th minute for their opening score, a long Jack Kelly point.

When Robert Dempsey goaled one minute later after Longford goalkeeper Paddy Collum had superbly saved from Colm Kehoe it gave Wexford brief hope, but it was still Longford who led 2-7 to 1-3 at the interval.

Robbie Smyth and Jack Kelly exchanged early second-half points, but Wexford had hopes of a recovery with unanswered points from Ciarán Butler (free), Colm Kehoe, Robert Dempsey and Alan Tobin (free), to reduce the deficit to 2-8 to 1-8, after 39 minutes.

James McGivney lifted the siege with a point, but points from Butler and Alan Tobin (frees) had the sides level, 2-9 to 1-12 after 48 minutes, but it was Longford who held out in a tight finish.