Brian Kavanagh kicking king for Longford

Longford 1-18 Carlow 1-12: Longford full forward Brian Kavanagh kicked six points in a man-of-the-match performance as Longford maintained their unbeaten Division 4 record with a merited win over a plucky Carlow at Netwatch Cullen Park yesterday.

Longford established early control but Carlow stayed in touch and John Murphy’s superb 29th minute goal gave Turlough O’Brien’s men hope as they trailed 0-12 to 1-6 at the break.

The midlanders scored the opening four points of the second half but Carlow responded with four unanswered white flags of their own.

But any prospect of a shock result was scotched when Longford substitute Dessie Reynolds scored his side’s goal in the 56th minute for a 1-16 to 1-11 lead and they went on to record a comfortable win.

Scorers for Longford: B Kavanagh 0-6, 0-3 frees, R McNerney 0-5, 0-2 frees, D Reynolds 1-0, M Quinn, P Gill 0-2 each, B Gilleran, L Connerton, S Doyle 0-1 each.

Scorers for Carlow: J Murphy 1-1, S Gannon 0-3, E McCormack 0-2, both frees, B Murphy (free), D St Ledger, A Kelly, D Foley, C Moran, D O’Brien 0-1 each.

Longford: G Higgins; F Battrim, T Gallagher, B Devine; A Rowan, C Farrelly, D Brady; B Gilleran, C Quaine; S Doyle, M Quinn, P Gill; R NcNerney, B Kavanagh, L Connerton.

Subs: P McKeon for Gilleran (46); D Reynolds for Doyle (50); R McIntyre for Gill (53); B O’Farrell for Brady (61); R Conor for Rowan (63); F McGee for Quaine (injured) (66).

Carlow: R Molloy; B J Molloy, S Redmond, K Nolan; M Fitzgerald, D St Ledger, B Kavanagh; S Gannon, D Foley; A Kelly, J Murphy, D Hayden; E Finnegan, B Murphy, D O’Brien.

Subs: D Kelly for Kavanagh (injured) (27); C Moran for Finnegan (47); D Moran for Fitzgerald (47); H Gahan for Foley (48); E McCormack for B Murphy (48); M Meaney for J Murphy (63).

Referee: J Bermingham (Cork).