Senior Men v Cill Dara reports, Women’s update, Mini/Youth Update…

By Padraig Murphy Longford RFC PRO Ph: 087 6063587 Email:  lrfconnects@gmail.com

Men’s news

Leinster league Div. 1B fixtures 2022/23

First XV J1 Result - Longford 14 Wicklow 20

Second XV J2 Result - Longford 22 Wicklow 24

LL Div. 1B Results & Fixtures

Results

25/09/22 Cill Dara 18 Longford 12

02/10/22 Longford 14 Wicklow 20

Match Report

Longford Senior Men's Squad 2022/23

Longford started well in this fixture where Wicklow were coming to town as the strong pre-match favourites.  Both sides traded attacks and had to defend their own lines in the stages. Longford eventually coughed up a penalty on the 10m line in front of posts, which Wicklow slotted over to take a 3-point lead on 10 mins.

That didn’t deter the home side however, as after some sustained pressure in the opposition half, Longford crashed over under the posts on 19 minutes, with Kieran O’Gorman dotting down and Danny McHugh tapping over the conversion, giving Longford a 07-03 lead.

Senior Men's Squad showing their local links 

Longford were dealt a blow with a yellow card shortly after and it didn’t take long for Wicklow to hit back with a converted try on 23 minutes, bringing the score to 07-10 to Wicklow.  The visitors struck again on 39 minutes after some sloppy defence which was against the run of play, but Wicklow took a 07-17 lead into the break.

The second half started in much the same way as the first half with opportunities for both sides and once again it was the visitors with a penalty on 53 minutes to extend the lead.  It was Longford, on 59 minutes that scored the next try as player/coach Henry Bryce broke through after some impressive strong carries from the pack.  Longford pressured hard from here on and the crowd could sense an upset.  Longford won a number of penalties and continued to kick for touch to gain field position.  Unfortunately, the accuracy of the darts were not good enough and Wicklow were let off the hook on no less than 4 lineouts in the closing stages.  Longford conceded yet another penalty in a very scorable position, and that should have closed out the game.  Fortunately, it was missed, and Longford managed to play it right back up to the opposition 5m to win penalty advantage.  For some reason best known only to the referee, advantage ran out without making any gain and Wicklow were able to kick the ball out to end the game.  Final score Longford 14 Wicklow 20.

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Post-match comment from Head coach Henry Bryce

“I thought we were in it, but two yellow cards, a lot of silly penalties is not going to help our process.  We were asking the right questions at the right time’s throughout, but the game went their way when we couldn’t win any of our own set pieces, forcing us to go backwards.  I thought we were in it but to give away possession in the red zone, therefore we struggled.  Fair play to Wicklow, they didn’t stop fighting to the end.  We give them the credit but also massive credit to our boys, who also didn’t stop fighting to the end there.  I thought we were very close, but Wicklow were very clinical in the breakdown, which is something we are working very hard on each week; however, we just came up short today.”

Longford have a welcome break next weekend which hopefully allows time for recovery of some of the injuries from the first couple of games.  After two rounds of the campaign, we await our first win, however we have taken a losing bonus point from both games, one away from home and the second against the strong League Division favourites, while also preventing both teams taking bonus points.  Its all to play for ahead of a visit to Mullingar on the 16^th of October.

Leinster league Div. 1B table after round 2

Upcoming Fixtures

16/10/22 Mullingar v Longford

23/10/22 Longford v Carlow

06/11/22 Tullow v Longford

13/11/22 Athy v Longford

27/11/22 Longford v Dundalk

04/12/22 Longford v Cill Dara

15/01/23 Wicklow v Longford

22/01/23 Longford v Mullingar

29/01/23 Carlow v Longford

19/02/23 Longford v Tullow

15/03/23 Longford v Athy

26/03/23 Dundalk v Longford

Match Video coverage

This week’s game was recorded in full by Ballymahon TV as a pilot and follow up the pre match video produced during the week.  So, this hopefully will be available to view by club members via a shared link.  Match commentary was by Mark Quinn and Michael Connellan with pitch side interviews by Gerry Carthy at halftime and again at full time.  We look forward to producing similar again throughout the season, possibly even with a live view link.  Keep an eye on media channels for more info.

Seconds XV Match report

Longford 22 Wicklow 24

Wicklow once again, were strong favourites coming into the J2 encounter and for significant part of this game they were on form.  Wicklow were better organized in the first half and were helped by absent Longford ruck support and poor tackling.  This allowed the Wicklow men take a solid lead to the break.  Longford reorganised at the break, returning to play with Hubie Connolly moving into the pack. The game really came to life in the final 20 minutes, with a number of Longford players beginning to play with intent.  Excellent pressure on Wicklow defence yielding tries from Allen Marshall and Hubie Connolly brought Longford roaring back into the game and give the boys a chance of overturning the deficit.  Wicklow just had enough in the tank to hold on for a narrow victory.

Best in pack for Longford was Ronan Colum, Brian Hanley, and Ivor McCormack.  Longford also had some great performances in the back line, with Neal Farrell and Colm Glynn pulling strings at half back, with Brian Harte and Cormac McDonagh playing really well, Harte with a fine performance at fullback.

Scorers:  Neal farrell, Alan Marshall, Hughie Connolly .

Colm Glynn 2 conversions and 1 pen.

Men’s Senior training continues Tuesday and Friday evenings at 7.30pm.

Bus to Ireland v South Africa November 5th

A bus is being organised for the Ireland v South Africa match at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday November 5^th.  The bus will leave Longford RFC at 12pm and returning from Dublin at approximately 9.00pm.  The match kicks off at 5.30 pm. 

The cost is €30 return.  If interested, please contact Tommy Butler on 0863143968

Ladies’ news

2022/23 Season commences.

Longford women have their first league match next Sunday 9th at home at 1pm.   All support appreciated.  Senior ladies training continues every Tuesday and Friday at 7.30pm.  New players always welcome no experience needed.

The Ladies Leinster league fixtures are as follows

9/10/22 Longford v Arklow

16/10/22 Longford v Greystones

23/10/22 New Ross v Longford

6/11/22 Longford v Wicklow J1

13/11/22 Clontarf v Longford

20/11/22 Longford v Gorey

4/12/22 Athy v Longford

11/12/22 Arklow v Longford

8/01/23 Greystones v Longford

15/01/23 Longford v New Ross

29/01/23 Wicklow J1 v Longford

5/02/23Longford v Clontarf

12/02/23 Gorey v Longford

26/02/23 Longford v Athy

Training continues every Monday and Friday 7.30pm.  New players welcome always.

Contact Nuala McGoey  (086) 248 2005

Membership

Membership is due for existing members, players, coaches, and those who wish to play for the first time with the club. Firstly, new members should register with the IRFU on the following link.

https://rugbyconnect.irfu.ie/

When prompted, select Leinster as the Provence, and then select Longford Rugby Club as your club. Once complete, note the player number.  You are then directed to https://sportsmanager.ie/sportlomo/users/login to complete the process. Please complete each line correctly or the player application will not go live.

Have a player head photo ready to upload also.

Payment is online and must be made as part of the process.  Players are only approved and available for match selection when full payment and forms are completed. 

Youth News

Match Results 

U18 game off

U17 game off

U16’s game postponed

U15 result Conceded by Enniscorthy

U14 result  Longford conceded to Boyne

U16 girls Longford 17 Tullamore 15

U16 Girls Match report 

Girls U16 Leinster cup

Longford’s U16 Girls hosted Tullamore on a sunny Saturday morning.

In a 'David & Goliath' game, the Longford players faced a Tullamore side Strong in both numbers and stature!  Tullamore opened the scoring with a try in the first few minutes.  Longford soon returned fire with Mia Rowan breaking through for Longford’s first try.

Another try from Tullamore left the home side behind 05-10 at half time.

Isabella Larkin brought Longford back into it with a try which she duly converted herself giving the Longford girls a 12-10 lead.

Tullamore soon scored again leaving it at 12-15 to the visitors and with that, a nail-biting finish. It took a well worked whole team effort to score the sinning try, which was brought over the line by Mia Rowan.

Longford worked excellent as a team with some brilliant defence work including our own try stopper of the day- Andrea Nolan!

Longford await the result of Ashbourne/Clontarf v Portlaoise to know who their quarterfinal opponents in the cup will be.

Youths Fixtures 08/10/22

U18 bye

U17 bye 

U16 Longford v Portarlington

U15 Wexford Wanderers v Longford

U14 Longford v Portlaoise

Link to Leinster league and Midlands’s area competition fixtures and results can be found on the following link.

https://www.leinsterrugby.ie/domestic-rugby/domestic-fixtures-results/

Youth’s training 

Training for all youths’ rugby teams continues weekly. Longford Rugby Club field girls only teams, training from U14 up to U18’s.

Age group, coach contact details and training schedule as follows:

Girls’ teams

U14 girls - Mags McKenna  087 6309653

Wednesday 7:00-8:15pm

U16 girls – Morag Rowan 087 4135962

Wednesday 7:00-8:15pm

U18 girls – Declan Smyth 085 1375973

Wednesday & and Fridays 7.30pm

Boy’s teams

U13 – Lisa Brady 087 6119960

Monday 7.00-8.45pm

Saturday 10.30-11.30am

U14 – James Rowan 087 9870560

Wednesday 7.00-8.15pm

U15 – Aoghan Clarke 087 6727002

Monday and Wednesdays 7.00-8.30pm

U16 – Padraig Murphy 087 6063587

Tuesdays and Thursdays 6.30-8.30pm

U17 – Freddie Forde 086 1727145

Tuesdays and Thursdays 7.00-8.30pm

U18.5’s – Jimmy Murphy 086 2555621

Thursday 7.30-9.00pm

New players welcome at all age groups. Just turn up with a gumshield.

Please follow club social media for updates on our Instagram & Facebook profiles - Longford RFC

Mini Rugby 

Senior Men's Mascots Brodie and Tyler Dempsey with Senior Men's Captain Danny McHugh

Blitz updates

U8 & U9 teams are away to play on Saturday next, in the first blitz of the season in Tullamore.

U11’s play in Birr on Sunday, as are U12 boys, who are away to Midlands Warriors.

U12 Girls also play their first games on Saturday at a blitz in Mullingar.

For further information please contact your coach or our Mini’s Co-ordinator, Pauline Marlowe on Mob - 087 632 3373.

For all other teams, Longford Mini Rugby continues on Sunday mornings, 10.30am at the club.

Players should wear football boots, appropriate clothing, and a gum shield. Blade type boots are not permitted.

We cater for all age grades from U6 up to U12 for both boys and girls with a girls’ team at U12. This group is for girls born 2010 & 2011.

Please note the following if your child was born in/Age Grade/Team contact:

2011 - Age Grade U12's - Pauline Marlowe 087 6323373

2012 - Age Grade U11's – Mark Quinn 085 8642266

2013 - Age Grade U10's – Colm Glynn 087 1520428

2014 - Age Grade U9's – John Healy 0879884240

2015 - Age Grade U8's - TBC

2016 - Age Grade U7's - TBC

2017 - Age Grade U6's* - TBC

2011 & 2012 Age Grade U12 Girls – Gerry Carthy 086 8046857

* Children born in 2018 are welcome to try out training with our U6 Age grade team. They should be able to take instructions as part of the group without taking too much coach time from the group.  

Membership is now due. Returning players registration can be updated on the player portal on this link

https://sportsmanager.ie/sportlomo/users/login?

New players can be registered via this link

https://rugbyconnect.irfu.ie/

For further information please contact Pauline Marlowe, Mini Co-ordinator, Longford RFC. 

Mob - 087 632 3373

New coaches are needed at the younger age groups. If you are interested in helping, please contact Pauline Marlowe or Gerry Carthy. 

Please follow club social media for updates on our Instagram & Facebook profiles- Longford RFC.

Boot room

Parents - we all know how quick the kids grow up and requirements to have a new pair of boots as they have outgrown the most recent, expensive pair.  Why not check out the hugely popular Boot room here at Longford rugby club where we have a self replenishing stock of replacement boots.  The idea is that you drop in a pair you no longer need and replace it with a pair that fits your child. That way your pair of boots doesn’t go to waste and someone else gets to benefit also, thus also helping someone else save a few Euros. 

If you have any boots that you wish to donate or exchange, please bring them into minis training and drop off the office for the attention of Gerry Carty or Pauline Marlowe who will assist with selecting the replacement pair.  Boots should be clean, laces intact and no missing studs.  No blades will be taken in. 

Please note it is not possible to guarantee there will be a suitable replacement available however we have rarely not had some to choose across a wide range of sizes.

URC Comment

Ulster welcomed Leinster to Kingspan with both sides winning both their opening fixtures.  Leinster looked dominant in the first half with a healthy lead.  Ulster clawed their way back into it, but it wasn’t enough.  Munster got off the mark with their first win, but Zebre managed to keep them scoreless in the second half.  They lost two centres early on and but for that could have had an upset in Musgrave Park.  Connacht slipped to another loss in SA as the difficult first block of games continues for the westerners.

Pitch Rental

Our state-of-the-art 4G artificial surface pitch is available for rent. There are a limited number of slots available during the week and weekends.  The pitch includes a full-size football pitch with full sized goals or can be spilt for reduced numbers of games with reduced size goals.  For details, contact Gerry Larkin on (086) 819 5519.

Sin Bin

The Sin Bin is open from Friday’s.  Superb food and drink are available across the weekend (Friday to Sunday). 

Phone 087 346 4914 for bookings or email sinbinbookings@outlook.com. 

Check out the Sin Bins Facebook page for update, specials, and updated opening hours;  www.facebook.com/sinbinlongford/