Barry’s effort helps Longford over the line

LONGFORD footballers, without their players from Leinster Club champions Mullinalaghta, were a cut above hosts Carlow at Netwatch Cullen Park.

Carlow will reflect on two missed goal chances in the opening half, as Chris Crowley’s close-range palmed effort was straight at Longford keeper Paddy Collum and then Daniel St Ledger’s penalty crashed off the Longford upright.

Longford laid the foundation for victory by holding Carlow to level terms at half-time, 0-5 apiece.

Backed by the wind after the restart, they made far better use of the elements.

Longford made sure of the league points on 61 minutes when a high ball from midfield by Colm P Smyth was finished to the net by Conor Barry, who had only joined the action on 47 minutes.

The winners’ left-half-back, man of the match Daniel Mimnagh, finished the scoring with a superb point from play.

There was no doubting the merit of this Longford win against an off-colour Carlow side who were suffering their first league defeat.

Both sides ended the encounter with 14 men, as Carlow’s Sean Murphy received a second yellow card on 62 minutes, while in the dying stages Longford’s Darren Gallagher received a black card.