Minor Footballers overcome Longford in Leinster MFC

Image Courtesy Paul Lundy

DUBLIN 4-17 

LONGFORD 1-12

Dublin pulled away in the second-half to complete a comprehensive fourteen-point victory over Longford in Round 3 of the Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Football Championship at a rainy Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Tuesday night. 

The Dubs enjoyed a narrow 2-5 to 1-7 interval lead with goals in the second quarter from Bobby Doyle and Mubarak Salami being partially cancelled by a fortuitous Longford goal from Niall O’Donnell.

The visitors pulled away at the start of the second-half and while they saw their lead reduced to two points at one stage, goals from Andy McDonnell and Salami helped them ease home by the final whistle. 

Despite opening the scoring through Max Morrison inside fifteen seconds, Dublin found themselves on the back foot initially as Leon Madden’s levelling score preceded an excellent two-pointer by Senan Buckley. 

The Longford midfielder added another fine point in the 5th minute to open up a three-point lead as Dublin dropped a number of shots short as they looked to settle into the encounter.   

The visitors eventually doubled their tally through an 11th minute free by Cian Raftery and the Whitehall Colmcille player could well have netted soon after but was denied by a brave block by Longford netminder Jack Cassidy. 

The green flag was raised at the start of the second quarter however as Morrison’s speculative pass was recycled close to goal and Doyle timed his run well to strike a precise finish past Cassidy from ten yards. 

Raftery added a trademark two-pointer in the 19th minute to edge Dublin three points clear and he turned provider for Jamie Heavey to kick an excellent score off his left foot two minutes later. 

The hosts ended a scoreless period of nineteen minutes through Buckley’s fourth point of the half and a deflected effort by O’Donnell saw Longford draw parity by the 25th minute. 

Salami, who was enjoying an influential display around the middle third helped Dublin overcome this little wobble and after bursting through from deep, he left Cassidy helpless once again with a cracking strike into the top corner. 

The hosts responded well to this body blow with late points from Conor Shannon and Buckley trimming the Dublin lead to just a point by half-time.

Despite losing their scoring talisman Raftery to injury for the second-half, the visitors impressed upon the resumption with Heavey popping over a 35th minute free to double his team’s advantage. 

Cian O’Dwyer and Salami’s inspirational point saw Dublin push further clear and a sublime two-pointer by Heavey pushed the visitors six points ahead by the 40th minute. 

Almost inevitably, it was Buckley that got the hosts back on track with another two-pointer and home full-forward Oisín McHugh added another in the 45th minute to leave the contest delicately poised. 

Any momentum those scores generated was lost in an instant as Salami turned provider for McDonnell, who cut inside and placed a classy strike past Cassidy for Dublin’s third goal. 

James McCaghy added a ‘45’ and a two-pointed free to open up an eight-point buffer and O’Dwyer highlighted his potential with a brace of excellent points in the closing stages. 

It was fitting that Salami should have the final word, given the exuberance of his performance and he powered through in added time to fire across Cassidy for Dublin’s fourth goal as the visitors booked their spot in the knockout stages.  

Scorers – Dublin: M Salami 2-1; J Heavey 0-6 (2f, 1 P2); B Doyle, A McDonnell 1-0 each; C Raftery (1f, 1 F2), C O’Dwyer, J McCaghy (1 ’45, 1 F2) 0-3 each; M Morrison 0-1.Longford: S Buckley 0-7 (1f, 2 P2); N O’Donnell 1-1; O McHugh 0-2 (P2); L Madden, C Shannon 0-1 apiece. 

Dublin: J Galvin; D Lombard, A Becton, A Davis; C Doran, J McCaghy, B Doyle; C O’Carroll, M Morrison; C Raftery, M Salami, A McDonnell; C O’Dwyer, J Heavey, E Madden. Subs: D Guilfoyle for Raftery (half-time), A Champ for McDonnell (51), C Wilde for Madden (58), P Cahill for Champ (58), A McMahon for Becton (62).  

Longford: J Cassidy; B Francis, S Hagan, R Gibbons; S Hannify, C Fagan, J O’Farrell; S Buckley, R Rowan; O McNerney, N O’Donnell, E Beattie; C Shannon, O McHugh, L Madden. Subs: R Flynn for Shannon (45), D Toher for Beattie (51), S Finlass for Fagan (57), M Keegan for McHugh (58), O McKenna for Madden (60). 

Referee: Kieran Olwell (Meath).