O’Brien’s Minors squeeze past handy Longford

AS the May Bank Holiday approaches and the beginning of the Leinster Championship, Wicklow Minors took on the Longford Minors on Saturday in what may be their last competitive outing before taking on Offaly, at a sun kissed Joule Park Aughrim on Saturday morning last.

This again turned out to be a very worthwhile exercise as it turned out to be a very close game with only a kick of a ball between these two sides at the end of play.

Longford started the game like they meant business and were quickly into their stride and opened up a two-point lead and were looking very comfortable on the ball as Wicklow were lethargic and looked to be taking the wrong options at times, but they began to get to grips with their opponents and Matthew Ging opened up the Wicklow account with a point after six minutes on the clock and Eoin Darcy added a second and the sides were level.

After trading points, Longford began to push on and again opened up a two-point lead and Wicklow again answered the question and after a lovely quick move Mattie Ging finished to the net, Longford responded with a point and the sides went in at half time 1-6 to 0-9

On resumption, Wicklow midfielder Eoghan Byrne didn’t field due to injury and management made a couple of other changes and reshuffled their team and Longford took advantage and opened up a two-point lead and then made it three with a wonderful long-range free from their centre back.

Wicklow again responded with a point from Johnny Keogh, who was introduced at half-time.

Wicklow were on a lot of ball but wrong options, missed passes and long speculative balls were not helping their cause.

At this point Longford had opened up a five-point gap, and Kevin O’Brien and his selectors again made some positional switches and this seemed to make immediate effect with points from Gavin Fogarty and Andy Foley closing the gap.

Wicklow at this point were in the ascendancy and kept plugging away at the deficit and a great strike by Kiltegan man Andy Foley to the net left Wicklow up by a point with time running out. Longford went on the attack and but for a turnover by corner-back Cian Mc Hugh the outcome may have been different as Eddie Leonard blew the final whistle.