Longford loss leaves footballers in trouble
Another blow endured in the battle against relegation
THE PROSPECTS of the Wexford Senior footballers avoiding an immediate return to Division 4 of the Allianz League appear increasingly slim after a fourth successive defeat on Sunday left them in serious relegation trouble with three rounds remaining.
The trip to Glennon Brothers Pearse Park to face Longford was never going to be easy, and a promising start to the second-half didn’t amount to anything concrete in the long run as the home side secured a third victory by a sixpoint margin.
While the results so far have been disappointing, the predicament the footballers find themselves in isn’t in the least bit surprising and had been flagged from the start of this Division 3 campaign.
Just one win would do wonders for the confidence of such a raw young squad, and they won’t get a better opportunity than on Sunday next when fellow strugglers Offaly visit Innovate Wexford Park.
With both sides without a point thus far, even a victory mightn’t be enough to avoid the drop in the long run.
That’s certainly the case for Wexford, as their last two games are of the daunting variety, with a fourth arduous away trip to Derry on March 11 followed by a home clash with table-toppers Armagh a fortnight later.
Still, the entire focus this week is on Offaly, and it certainly promises to be a lot closer and more competitive than their Bord na Móna O’Byrne Cup meeting in Tullamore on December 30 when the hosts triumphed by 3-16 to 0-9.
The starting 15 last Sunday showed four changes in personnel from the defeat to Westmeath, with the injured Eoghan Nolan missing out along with Mark O’Neill and Barry O’Connor, plus Conor Carty who was suspended for one game as a result of video evidence viewed by the C.C.C.C. from the Fermanagh first round defeat.
Naomhan Rossiter made his first appearance of the year at full-back following a back problem, with Michael Furlong returning from suspension, while Donal Shanley and Cathal Devereux were given the nod to start in the full-forward line.
Incidentally, Shanley was part of the N.U.I.G. squad in the recent Sigerson Cup final, and this was one half of a notable and unusual club double as the victorious U.C.D. panel featured his St. Fintan’s and Wexford colleague, Jim Rossiter.
Longford made all of the running on a bright, mild day at the midlands venue, with corner-forward Rian Brady turning onto his left and firing high and handsome between the posts from a Michael Quinn delivery after 46 seconds.
Conor Berry doubled the lead in the second minute, playing a one-two with dangerman Robbie Smyth before splitting the posts as the locals looked to atone for their narrow first defeat of the campaign away to Armagh.
Wexford’s first attempt for a score from a tight angle by Ben Brosnan veered wide, but he got his team off the mark on the five-minute mark after big Nick Doyle was fouled on a solo run.
Longford replied swiftly, with Brady doubling his tally from a Darren Gallagher off-load with a shot that skimmed Matt Doyle’s fingertips on its way over (0-3 to 0-1).
The subsequent kick-out went over the sideline and afforded the leaders a first chance for goal, but Dessie Reynolds saw his goal drive blocked for a ’45 as Jim Rossiter raced across the square to close down his angle.
Brosnan missed a ’45 at the other end while Nick Doyle dropped a kick short after selling a neat dummy, but Wexford made it a one-point game in the 14th minute when Paul Curtis and Glen Malone featured in a move that ended with Donal Shanley shooting over the bar.
A David McGivney free left Longford with a 0-4 to 0-2 lead, but two minutes later Wexford were back on level terms.
Good approach work by James Stafford and Ben Brosnan down the right ended with a Paul Curtis point despite a partial block by a defender, and Daithí Waters got a vital hand on the kick-out.
That started a move involving Nick Doyle and Donal Shanley, with Robert Frayne getting on the end of it to knock over his first league point.
Given the possession stakes up to that stage, Longford would have been more disappointed than Wexford with the scoreline, but they regained the lead when David McGivney punished a foul on Daniel Mimnagh with his second pointed free in the 19th minute.
A brief prospect for a goal opened up for Brian Malone when he was set free by a Nick Doyle handpass, but Longford defenders swarmed to the danger area and he was bottled up in possession.
Longford sweeper Barry McKeon then surged forward to make it 0-6 to 0-4, with Cathal Devereux narrowly wide from a Donal Shanley pass before Longford’s Dessie Reynolds had their first miss of the half with a wild kick to the right.
A low ball in from Glen Malone was rewarded with a second point for Paul Curtis in the 29th minute, and there was no danger for Wexford when midfielder Andrew Farrell shot to the left and well wide on the next Longford attack.
However, Matt Doyle did have to be fully alert in the 33rd minute when a Rian Brady handpass gave Daniel Mimnagh some space to move in on goal, but his head-high shot was comfortably saved.
Michael Furlong kicked the fourth and final Wexford wide of the half, before a block on Donal Shanley led to a Longford breakaway. Robbie Smyth was fouled and tapped over the free, leaving the visitors trailing by 0-7 to 0-5 at the interval.
They started the second period on a very positive basis, with Ben Brosnan kicking a brilliant point from a central position roughly 47 metres out before substitute Darragh Pepper - introduced for Cathal Devereux - levelled from his first touch after Robert Frayne initially won the kick-out and fed corner-forward Paul Curtis.
A wide followed from Nick Doyle and, alas, Longford pounced for the crucial only goal from the re-start.
Naomhan Rossiter and Glen Malone were both drawn towards the same player tight to the left sideline, and it created an overlap when the opponent gained possession.
Daniel Mimnagh and Darren Gallagher were involved in the decisive move, with the latter popping a handpass to his right for Robbie Smyth to palm the ball to the net (1-7 to 0-7).
Wexford were always going to struggle thereafter, with Robert Frayne and James Stafford kicking wides on either side of a Longford point from Gallagher in the 44th minute when he blazed over with a goal on the cards.
Daithí Waters had also kicked one hopeful attempt short, while Conor Berry soloed away from Robert Frayne and Brian Malone at the other end but lost his footing at the vital moment.
A lengthy, patient move from Longford ended with a point for captain Donal McElligott, but they weren’t making the most of their chances either as Robbie Smyth kicked a handy free wide shortly after good pressure from Michael Furlong made him land another shot into Matt Doyle’s hands.
Daithí Waters’ ability to continue looked in doubt when he received running repairs for a leg injury, but he made the short walk to the sideline for an altogether different reason in the 50th minute.
Conor Berry claimed a mark, and the Wexford captain made his presence felt after the referee’s whistle.
The man in the middle, Barry Tiernan, took his time before showing Waters a straight red card, listening to advice from linesman Barry Judge from Sligo who was close to the incident.
The long-serving midfielder will miss the crucial Offaly encounter as a result, and it seems particularly unfortunate for this generally youthful squad that four of their most experienced players have now suffered this fate, as he follows in the footsteps of Brian Malone, Michael Furlong and Conor Carty who have already served one-match suspensions.
Somewhat surprisingly, Wexford called the shots for a very brief period after the dismissal.
Ben Brosnan kicked a glorious point from the right flank from a Paul Curtis handpass before a free was brought inside the 45-metre line for dissent and he narowed the deficit to 1-9 to 0-9.
That score arrived in the 54th minute, but it was as close as Wexford got and they didn’t register again.
Longford kicked the last three points of the contest, although they weren’t at their best and frustrated home supporters too with a string of missed chances and poor decisions.
Still, they never looked in danger of slipping up, with Robbie Smyth, Michael Quinn (’45) and substitute Páuric Gill kicking the points that made sure of a third win after earlier victories against Derry and Offaly respectively.
Paul Curtis and Ben Brosnan (’45) posted wides for Wexford before the finish, while Nick Doyle was positioned on the edge of the square but was crowded out when two high balls were driven towards the square.
The losers kicked nine wides in all compared to ten from the winners, and Wexford earned 14 of the game’s 30 frees.
Apart from that Waters dismissal, yellow cards were shown to Glen Malone, Brian Malone, Barry O’Connor and Longford’s Darren Gallagher, Robbie Smyth and Michael Quinn.
Wexford: Matt Doyle; Jim Rossiter, Naomhan Rossiter, Michael Furlong; Glen Malone, Brian Malone, James Stafford; Daithí Waters (capt.), Nick Doyle; Robert Frayne (0-1), Ben Brosnan (0-4, 2 frees), Tiarnan Rossiter; Paul Curtis (0-2), Donal Shanley (0-1), Cathal Devereux. Subs. - Darragh Pepper (0-1) for Devereux (HT), Barry O’Connor for Shanley (53), Shane Doyle for T. Rossiter (53), Barry O’Gorman for G. Malone (62), Syl Byrne for Frayne (62).
Longford: Paddy Collum; Patrick Fox, Diarmuid Masterson, Donal McElligott (capt., 0-1); Barry Gilleran, Michael Quinn (0-1 ’45), Barry McKeon (0-1); Darren Gallagher (0-1), Andrew Farrell; Dessie Reynolds, David McGivney (0-2 frees), Daniel Mimnagh; Robbie Smyth (1-2, 0-1 free), Conor Berry (0-1), Rian Brady (0-2). Subs. - James McGivney for Farrell (57), Páuric Gill (0-1) for Reynolds (64), Shane Donohoe for Brady (70+3), Cillian Lee for Mimnagh (70+3), Cathal Reilly for Gallagher (70+3).
Referee: Barry Tiernan (Dublin).