Longford U13 34 Edenderry 31

Longford U14 17 Wicklow 14

Longford U15 24 Birr 0

Longford U16 12 West Offaly Lions 10

Longford U17 36 Cill Dara 5

Youth’s Fixtures

Sat 30^th January

Leinster League

U13 v TBA Home

U14 v TBA Away

U15 v New Ross Away                   

U16 v Edenderry Away

U17 v Dundalk Home 

Watch Facebook for time and venue changes.

Match Reports

U-13 Leinster League Div 1A

Wexford Wanderers 12 Longford 10

Squad: Conor McGovern; James Brady; Patrick Connaughton; Kevin McDonagh; Kola Adejinmi; Ronan Kavanagh; Oisin O’Toole; Jason Glancy; Orinn Greene; Cian Sutton; Kevin Tansey; Cormac McDonagh; Mark Bracken; Dylan Reilly; Eoin Farrell; Matt Duffy; Jack Linnane.

U-13 Challenge Match

Edenderry 31 Longford 23

Squad: Kevin Duignan; Rory Maguire; Patrick Connaughton; Cian Clancy; Conor McGovern; Jack Linnane; Ronan Kavanagh; Aaron Oates; Dylan Reilly; Josh Sorohan; Conor Clancy; Ben Murtagh; Aaron Gilna; Brendan Davis; Eoin Farrell.

The Under 13s have been on their travels over the last two weekends, and as can be seen by the squads, it was almost two different teams, showing the great participation by the players.

First up was a long distance journey to Wexford for the second round of the League. Longford started brightly and soon were in front as out half dragged the Wexford defence left, before Kevin Tansey reversed the angle and got an early fiver pointer. A reshuffle was soon needed though, as Longford lost ball carrier Kola Adejinmi, necessitating captain Oisin O’Toole to move into the second row. Wexford responded with two quick fire tries, one converted, to open a seven point lead. Longford responded, though, and Cian Sutton, aware of the opportunity out wide, dinked a cross field kick, and the oncoming Kevin Tansey won the footrace, to leave it at 12-10 at half-time.

The second-half was even more intriguing as both squads battled it out for supremacy. Man-of-the-match, Ronan Kavanagh, tackled away at wing-forward and Jason Glancy punched holes. In his first competitive game, on the wing, Jack Linnane got some go-forward ball and was unlucky not to score. On the other side, Wexford battled away and had their opportunities. A scoreless second-half belied the great rugby on show from both sides, and Wexford were relieved to hear the final whistle.

Next up was a trip to neighbours, Edenderry RFC. Longford started brightly and out-half Josh Sorohon drove over for a try, which he duly converted. Edenderry settled though, and were more clinical at ruck time and more fluid in the backs, scoring four tries before half-time without reply to leave it 24-7 at the break.

It looked forlorn for Longford, and in times past the heads would drop, but captain Conor McGovern gave the rallying call. Four unanswered tries from Longford, three from Josh Sorohan and one from Eoin Farrell put Longford ahead 29-24. Edenderry made their first excursion into the Longford half and converted a try to give them a two point lead with four minutes to go. Again the call was made, we need to get our hands on the ball and into their territory. Ben Murtagh pounced on some sloppy Edenderry play and off-loading to Conor Clancy, who released Josh Sorohan to score his fifth of the game. Whilst Josh got five, there were many pleasing aspects of the game, particularly the second-half. The ability to shake off the first half, and focus on the job to be done was a credit to all, ably lead by Conor McGovern. Dylan Reilly was calm and clinical at scrum-half and Aaron Oates at 8 carried ball all day, and threw his body on the line more than once. Patrick Connaughton also regularly broke the gain-line and Aaron Gilna was tight on the wing snuffing out blindside breaks from the dangerous Edenderry fullback. Finally, special mention to Eoin Farrell who took command of the backs in the second-half and organised attack and defence. Another leader in the making.

Next up is the Cup, with New Ross to visit on February 6^th, possibly preceded by a Midland League derby game against Mullingar

Leinster U14 League

Longford U14 17 Wicklow 14

Longford U14’s continued their unbeaten run in this year’s Leinster League away to Wicklow but it was a stuttering performance, particularly in the first half and they will need to produce a much improved overall performance if they are to make further progress when the League enters its second phase of fixtures in a few weeks time.

The home team posed nowhere near the same physical challenge as Edenderry midweek but they still managed to bully and dominate the breakdown with the result that Longford got little or no meaningful or worthwhile possession in the early stages.  It was somewhat against the run of play, therefore, that Longford actually took the lead after 13 minutes, JJ Jackson barging over from a tap penalty with Shane Mallon adding the extra points from the conversion attempt.

Even though Longford were playing with the elements in the first half it was Wicklow who had the greater share of territory and only a number of lengthy clearance kicks from Mossie McDermott which were pin point in accuracy relieved the incessant pressure.  It was somewhat disappointing also that, having begun to gain a foothold in the Wicklow half, Longford conceded a breakout try on the stroke of half time, the Wicklow back line cutting through some non-existent tackling for a converted try beneath the posts. That Wicklow were not actually in the lead at the end of the first period was due, along with the relieving clearance kicks from Mossie McDermott, to some tenacious tackling from, in particular. Dylan Fay and Ciaran Shannon.

Not for the first time this year, it took a vastly improved level of intensity in the second period for Longford to claw their way back into the game.  With the increasing wind and rain into their faces Longford began to play a more controlled territory game with Shane Mallon dictating play from the out half position.  Time and again the Wicklow wingers were turned in defence and forced to take the ball into touch themselves or scramble a hurried clearance kick.  It was precisely from that type of pressure that Longford regained the initiative.  Twice in succession JJ Jackson stole possession from a line out throw and gained 15 meters before being bundled into touch.  On the third line out it was Ciaran Shannon’s chance to join the action in similar fashion and following a few rucks close to the Wicklow line Mossie McDermott was able to burrow over for an unconverted try after 10 minutes.  Longford got themselves a bit of breathing space with a try wide out on the right from Shane Mallon after 20 minutes to give a two score lead.  On the stroke of full time, however, concentration levels slipped and Wicklow got in for a soft converted try beneath the posts.  Although only three points adrift their time had run out and Longford could enjoy a somewhat fortuitous outcome.  While there were a number of standout performances, Dylan Fay and Ciaran Shannon in defence, Shane Mallon and Mossie McDermott with their game management, there was very little of the dynamic ball carrying which brought the victory in Nass or the 15 man intensity and aggression shown in the second half against Edenderry.  With an improvement across the board in the contact area, both in attack and defence, Longford certainly have the capacity to make life somewhat easier for themselves and their stressed out supporters on the sideline.  The talent and ability is there – it is just a question of application.

Squad: Gary Kenny, Mark McHugh, Jack McManus, Ciaran Shannon, JJ Jackson, Dylan Fay, Conor Cox, Ciaran McCormack, Ben Carthy, Ultan O’Sullivan, Daire McManus, Mossie McDermott, Aaron Farrell, Shane Mallon, Ryan Dempsey, Jamie Byrne, Killian Rawle, Maks Napieralski.

Leinster U15 League

Longford 24 Birr 0

A mild Saturday morning welcomed our visitors and our players gradually arrived making their way into the dressing room. The coaching staff headed by Jimmy Murphy gave the team a few words of wisdom before heading to the pitch to warm up. It’s worth noting that Birr have always been a very physical and worthy opponent. Since the early days at Mini level, our teams have always respected and considered Birr as a strong team and not an easy one to beat.

After the initial greetings between the two captains and the referee, the Longford team captain Gareth O’Hara led his team to make this day count. Birr proved to be (as expected) strong and hard to break through their defence. They tried to put us under pressure on several occasions to which we responded with hard work from Craig Gorman and Daniel Reilly who found a gap in the Birr defence where Gareth O’Hara scored the first try of the game.

Birr were determined to score but the Longford defence line firstly pushed back Birr when Jack Finnegan displayed again his skills in clearing the ball and taking and making tackles which resulted in Longford turning over the ball. At this point, Dario Cigliano gained some more ground, passed the ball to David Connolly who scored our second try of the game. Another ten minutes of intense clashes followed with more opportunities for Longford which were saved by Birr just a couple of metres from their try line. 

Half time: Longford 14 Birr 0

Longford was very clear that there was no room for complacency as Birr could come back in the second half. Birr had a few strong players that at times put Longford under pressure and if it hadn’t been for the exceptional work of some of our players we could be writing a different report. It took twenty five minutes into the second half after a series of ‘’battles’’ and some of those were within just a few metres from our try line. Longford were not going to give up, they pulled out additional power and energy which translated into a true team play that allowed Simon Moorehead score the third try of the game. After another five minutes since our last try, through a series of passes from our backs Joshua Manning secured our fourth try just seconds before the end of the game.

Game over, four tries and two conversions for Longford and a great win for our lads. This was a great game for Longford as Birr kindly highlighted (during the game) areas we need to work on. The coaching staff will address these areas during our next training session on Tuesday at 7:30pm.

To all players, please continue your spectacular performance as a team and your impeccable attendance to both training sessions and games. As you can see, we are winning because of the work you are putting into the team. Keep it up!

It is worth mentioning a couple of exceptional performances during this encounter:

Man of the Match: Dario Cigliano

Shared Top Tacklers: Gareth O’Hara, David Connolly

Top Ball Carrier: Jack Finnegan

Longford: Craig Gorman, James Murphy, Gareth O’Hara, Adam Penrose, James Briody, David Connolly, Michael Dunne, Kevin Greggs, William Higgins, Simon Moorehead, Brian O’Farrell, James Reilly, Joshua Manning, Colin Cosins, Liam Donohue, Cian Gray, Daniel Reilly, Jonathan Borland, Brian Farrell, Dario Cigliano, Jack Finnegan, David Reilly

Referee: Trevor McHugh

U16 Leinster League

Longford 12 West Offaly Lions 10

Longford 16's played their second fixture in this Leinster League campaign in CPL Park on Sunday last.

Longford started very well with a lot of intensity at the breakdown and excellent ball retention. Calum Delaney put in a couple of excellent tackles that set the tone of the day. Daire O’Brien was omnipresent with some good carries and top notch defensive work. Longford pounded the West Offaly line on a number of occasions only to be held up but the continuity bore fruit when Tom Giheany made a half break and slipped the ball inside to Ryan McHugh who crashed over.

West Offaly finally gained some possession after this and caught Longford napping. A few quick penalties and they ran in a try in the corner with disappointing ease. The line out was working well with Paulius Merkelis controlling it at the front. Gabriel Grey and Peadar Kenny played with intensity throughout. Ronan Bleakley had another noteworthy game at scrum half – sniping around the fringes and keeping the back line moving. Conor Craig carried the ball and gained ground every time but still could not breach the line. West Offaly increased the score to 10-5 with a penalty just before half time.

The second half was a stop start affair and became a mid-field battle. Luke McIntyre and Michael McCann in the centre made a number of strong breaks but the continuity of the first quarter was not there. Infringements and penalties gave away the initiative after so much good work. Eoin Reilly had another outstanding game with a huge workrate and some bone crunching tackles. Liam Sheridan and Cormac McMahon had little ball with which to work with but still dealt efficiently with everything that came their way.  Ground conditions meant that Ryan Corcoran’s silky skills were negated and he was watched at every turn by a West Offaly side who remembered him front last year’s final. Longford pounded the West Offaly line in the final minutes in search of a winning score but it looked as if it was not going to come. Then on the stroke of full time, after a number of infractions, the referee awarded Longford a penalty try – Liam Sheridan’s conversion was enough to win the game for Longford.

Lots of positives and negatives from the game but 2 wins and Edenderry next means that the season is taking shape. Great performances from newcomers Paulius Merkelis and Eoin Reilly and the old reliables Ryan McHugh, Tom Gilheany, Conor Craig and Daire O’Brien.

Team:

Eoin Reilly, Conor Craig, Callum Delaney, Gabriel Grey, Peadar Kenny, Daire O’Brien, Paulius Merkelis, Tom Gilheany, Ronan Bleakley, Ryan McHugh, Michael McCann, Luke McIntyre, Ryan Corcoran, Cormac McMahon, Liam Sheridan

U17 Leinster League

Longford 36 Cill Dara 5

Longford Under 17’s played their first home game since 31^st October when they welcomed Cill Dara on Saturday. The recent heavy rain meant that the main pitch was closed and so the game was switched to the third pitch. Conditions were soft underfoot but incessant rain during the match turned parts of the pitch into a mud bath. This didn’t stop both teams from serving up an entertaining contest.

The Kildare men were out of the blocks quickly. They capitalised on two errors caused by the greasy ball to suck in the defenders and score wide out. The conversion was well struck but wide. The restart was spilled by the visitors and Brian Hanley bravely dived on the ball to set up the attack. The back line caused problems for Cill Dara all day and they struck with Luke Reilly given time and space to finish a flowing move. Liam Harte added the extras.

Longford were next on the board with Paddy Duggan showing great strength to drive over from close range. Liam Harte was next on the score board with a fine individual try which he converted himself to leave the half time score at 19-5 to the home team. This was reminiscent of the away fixture against the same opponents when Longford let a commanding 12 point lead disappear but there was no complacency and the home team resolved to wrap up the game early. Conditions continued to deteriorate with the forwards taking on more ball, Jamie McManus, Sean McManus and Dylan Smith to the fore. The back row were everywhere and Donal Harkin put in a huge shift, carrying numerous times to great effect.

The work done by the forwards paid dividends out wide with Gerard Flynn stepping two men before burning another on the outside to add to his seasons tally. Duggan got his second following a great run and sublime offload from Luke Reilly and Luke finished the scoring when scoring near the end. Final score Longford 36 Cill Dara 5. One notable feature of the game was how the visitors never once gave up even when well behind and showed great discipline.

It is impossible to pick out individuals from what was a fairly complete team performance. Ciaran Reilly gave a master class at full back, Robbie Shaw was back to his best while Jack Magan showed his class with a brilliant catch and pass under real pressure. Shane Cox was a real threat with ball in hand and brought a massive physicality in the tackle.

The scrum was strong with Joe Gill and Ronan McCormack getting on top of their opposition, Brian Hanley had his best game of the season causing the opposition scrum half all sorts of problems, Robert Lynch tackled and rucked like a demon. The bench added to the performance. Franklin Okiwbe and Niall Gray  and Eanna Mimnagh making important tackles to keep the visitors scoreless in the second half while Ivor Nevin showed the improvement in his game, getting stuck in. Gary Burke’s game time was limited by the referee but it was more a team yellow than an individual one.

So a pleasing victory and 4 points but it will count for nothing if we don’t back it up against Dundalk next weekend. Thanks to all the parents for their great support and providing hospitality to our guests, to Cill Dara team and backroom staff who are a real pleasure to host and to our Ref, Paul Rock.

Squad: Gerard Flynn,Paddy Duggan, Ciaran Reilly, Brian Hanley, Terence Hegarty, Robert Lynch, Niall Gray, Sean McManus, Franklin Okibwe, Gary Burke, Dylan Smith, Eanna Mimnagh, Aidan Sheridan,Luke Reilly, Liam Harte, Robert Shaw, Jack Magan, Donal Harkin,Joe Gill, Ronan McCormack, Shane Cox,Ivor Nevin, Jamie McManus