Two counties with their championship season on the line but only one that seemed in any way interested in extending their campaign as Longford cruised to victory over an insipid Carlow side

One week after the width of the goalpost saved Kildare from Leinster championship elimination at the hands of Longford in Tullamore, the two sides returned to Bord na Móna O’Connor Park and played out a game that couldn’t have been any more of a contrast.

Both sides kicked some wonderful points though remarkably, the second half of extra time yielded no score.

It's the first time a Longford club has competed in and won the provincial title.

Longford champions St. Columba’s created history as they became the first club from the county to reach the Leinster Senior Club Final with a well deserved win over Carlow Champions Eire Og in Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.

It isn’t so long since Alan Brogan and others were speculating as to whether Stephen Cluxton’s guardianship of the Dublin nets would stretch past the quiet one’s 40th birthday.

I’m led to believe Stephen Cluxton had blood in his mouth following that first-half clash with James McGivney, so the conspiracy theorists won’t be happy.

Dublin 2-25 Longford 0-12

Magnificent Longford’s long wait for a Leinster championship win finally ended when they created a massive shock with a thoroughly deserved victory over 14-man Meath before an attendance of 5,591 at Pearse Park yesterday.

Armagh 1-11 Longford 1-10: This was the ultimate smash and grab operation.

Longford impressed throughout as they began their All-Ireland campaign, with a well-earned eight-point SFC Round 1 qualifier win against 13 men Louth at Drogheda's Gaelic Grounds.

Longford 2-11 Offaly 0-9: Second-half goals from Liam Connerton and Darren Gallagher helped Longford record an eight-point win over Offaly in this Round-2 O’Byrne Cup clash in Newtowncashel.

Cork progressed to Round 4A of the All-Ireland qualifiers this afternoon largely thanks to the half-time introductions of Colm O’Neill and Pa Kelly.

Longford 2-13 Monaghan 1-13: Well, Monaghan can hardly say they weren’t forewarned. Twelve years ago, Denis Connerton brought an unfancied Longford outfit to Clones and plundered Monaghan’s home in the only previous championship meeting between these sides.

Longford have upset the form guide with a Qualifier win over a vulnerable Down side at Pairc Esler, striking two killer goals in extra-time to book their place in Monday’s Round 2 draw.

Longford 0-13 Westmeath 0-11: Longford consolidated their position in Division 3 and relegated their neighbours in the process; Westmeath’s third consecutive demotion.

Longford 1-9 Wicklow 1-5: A strong second-half performance saw Longford secure a home semi-final with O’Byrne Cup champions Dublin on Sunday.

Kildare and Longford advanced to a Leinster final, while Donegal, Derry, Down and Cavan won through to the Ulster semi-finals in the Cadbury Under-21 Football Championship today.

Sigerson Cup semi-final: UCC 1-20 Athlone IT 1-9

DIT and UCC booked their places in tomorrow's Sigerson Cup Final at 3pm in Athlone IT following semi-final wins over DCU and AIT respectively this afternoon.

Sigerson Cup quarter-final: Athlone IT 0-11 CIT 1-4

Athlone IT 1-13 IT Carlow 0-6

Top scorer Sean McCormack has made a welcome return to the Longford team for tomorrow's Allianz League Division 3 final against Wexford.

Longford maintained their 100% record with a swagger at ice cold Kingspan/Breffni Park on Saturday night.

LONGFORD produced a strong final quarter to claim victory over Athlone IT in this O’Byrne Cup tie at Ballymahon.

O’MOORE PARK was a scene of delight as much as it was a vista of dejection last night as Wexford celebrated their first Leinster U21 FC title at the fifth time of asking.

Wexford 1-9 Longford 0-11

A STRONG finish to both halves enabled Longford to bridge a five-year gap when edging out Westmeath — who finished with 14 men — in last night’s Leinster Under-21 FC semi-final clash at Páirc Tailteann.

Longford, Wexford, Cork, Kerry, Cavan claimed wins, while Down and Tyrone drew in the Cadbury's Under-21 Football Championship tonight.

LONGFORD will have home advantage in their Leinster MFC quarter-final with Westmeath on May 22 after this deserved qualifier victory at Pearse Park on Saturday.