Longford send out a warning with deserved victory over Westmeath

UNPACK the crampons, Longford have picked their way to the sort of altitude that gives men nose-bleeds.

Longford 2-12 Westmeath 1-13

Top of Division 1A of the Allianz National Football League after two games, the county has not known such promise for many years.

Yesterday, at Cusack Park, Mullingar, inspired by captain Paul Barden, they played classy and determined football to overtake Westmeath coming around the final bend after a gripping encounter that took the minds of 9,039 fans off the biting cold.

In the midlands, Westmeath-Longford is an enduring rivalry. Apart from 28 scores and half a season’s supply of drama, this thriller had three sendings-off - Allstar Rory O’Connell (Westmeath, 42nd minute), and Longford pair Cathal Conefrey (67), and David Barden (five minutes into injury-time.)

Westmeath paid dearly for the dismissal of O’Connell on a straight red, after a needless high challenge on Paul Barden, seven minutes into the second-half. Suddenly the seas parted for Longford, and centre-back David Hannify plundered two great points after tearing through the middle.

With O’Connell and David O’Shaughnessy dominating, Westmeath were in control of the match; without the former, they were cast on the backfoot. Thus, Longford swept to a cascading triumph by out-scoring Westmeath by 1-3 to 0-1 in the final 17 minutes.

Few goals scored this year will surpass the quality of the build-up, and the finish, of David Barden’s 62nd minute goal - Fintan Coyle, Liam Keenan, and the extravagantly talented Paul Barden conjured up a purposeful move to put David free, and his low shot cannoned to the net.

It was the start of the Longford takeover, and although Westmeath’s best player Dessie Dolan put his side ahead with a free in the 65th minute, Longford were the ones pressing for the crucial scores from there until the final whistle after nine minutes of injury-time.

Hannify, Padraig Davis and David Barden landed the three points that clinched the win.

Paul Barden was sensational in the second-half. His goal five minutes into the second-half revitalised a Longford side that came out for the second-half 1-7 to 0-6 behind.It will have painful memories for Westmeath, because it followed immediately after Gary Dolan had an opportunity to kill the game off completely with a splendid goal chance. Placed by his brother Dessie - easily Westmeath’s best player - his ground shot never curled and went wide of the far post.

The home groans had barely subsided Hannify caught the kick-out and put Barden on the open road. Barden buried it past Gary Connaughton and the six-point turnaround revived flagging Longford hopes. And once they got the bit between their teeth, they resolved not to falter.

Scorers - Longford: P Barden 1-2, P Davis 0-4 (3f), D Barden 1-1, D Hanniffy 0-2, D Blessington 0-1, F Coyle 0-1, S Lynch 0-1. Westmeath - D Dolan 0-6 (3f), M Flanagan 1-2 (1-0 penalty, 0-1 f), J Fallon 0-2 (1f), D Glennon 0-1, D Heavin 0-1, A Mangan 0-1.

LONGFORD: D Sheridan; S Carroll, C Conefrey, A O’Connor; E Ledwith, D Hannify, S Lynch; L Keenan, F Coyle; M Kelly, D Blessington, P Barden; D Barden, N Sheridan, P Davis. Subs: B Burke for A O’Connor, 24; M Hussey for N Sheridan, 32; T Smullen for M Kelly, 35; P Dowd for D Blessington, 58; N Sheridan for M Hussey, 60; D Blessington for P Dowd, 70, inj.

WESTMEATH: G Connaughton; J Keane, D O’Donoghue; F Murray; D Heavin, D Gavin, B Morley; R O’Connell, D O’Shaughnessy; J Fallon, M Flanagan, A Mangan; J Conroy, G Dolan, D Glennon. Subs: D Dolan for J Conroy, 17; F Wilson for G Dolan, 60; E Fleming for A Mangan, 76.

Referee: M Monaghan, Kildare.