NFL Roundup Longoford, Laois footballers advance to quarterfinals

By Mark Jones

Longford 1-11, Louth 1-9 Hurt more than most counties by the foot-and-mouth shutdown, Louth paid the price for a lack of match practice when they were beaten in the first round of the Leinster football championship by Longford in Navan last Sunday. Leading at the break, Louth were overwhelmed during the second half, going nearly half an hour without a score.

"No team deserves to win if they play like that," was losing manager Paddy Clarke’s assessment.

However, under the new championship format, Louth will be guaranteed at least one more day out in the qualifying series, while Longford look ahead now to a quarterfinal meeting with Dublin at the end of the month.

This was really was a game of two halves for Louth, who began in sparkling fashion with J.P. Rooney cutting deep swathes in the Longford defense. Ahead at one stage by 1-5 to 0-3 with Rooney contributing 1-2, Louth looked on course for victory as Mark Stanfield, Christy Grimes and Ollie McDonnell also made their mark.

But the first signs of panic were clear when Stephen Melia mishandled and Padraic Davis capitalized for a Longford goal, which meant that the margin was only two points at the changeover.

"That goal brought us back into it," said Longford’s manager, Michael McCormack, "but we knew we were going out of the championship unless we buckled down during the second half."

They did, with Trevor Smullen hitting three points, as Louth faded badly.

"I’m not really going to blame the lack of match practice," offered Clarke, "we ran out of ideas."

Laois 0-18, Wexford 0-14

It was a struggle for Laois and a what-might-have-been for Wexford in last Sunday’s Leinster football championship first-round game at Dr. Cullen Park. If Wexford had had any backup for their lone potent attacker, John Hegarty, then the result could have been so different. Hegarty plundered six points, but there was no one to replicate that sort of marksmanship.

Redmond Barry had a great chance of a Wexford goal just before the break, but Fergal Byron made a brilliant save and the losers should have better off than just level at the changeover. Instead, it was Laois who settled, with Chris Conway leading from the front. Ian Fitzgerald was finding the range with frees and soon it was clear who Offaly’s quarterfinal opponents would be.

Laois’ manager, Colm Browne, admitted that Offaly wouldn’t be quaking in their boots.

"We were flat for three quarters of the game and nearly paid the price, but at least we didn’t lose our way and got back on track," he said.

Colleges

The two All-Ireland Colleges A finals were decided at Croke Park last weekend with St. Patrick’s of Navan taking the football title by beating St. Jarlath’s of Tuam 2-10 to 2-8, while the hurling title went to St. Colman’s of Fermoy, who defeated Gort C.S. of Galway by 2-10 to 2-7.