Monaghan see off last-gasp scramble by Longford

Monaghan 1-14 Longford 3-6, Clones

Monaghan's senior footballers had to survive a hectic finish to guarantee two league points in a 1-14 to 3-6 win over Longford in Clones this afternoon.

Damien Freeman netted in the 15th-minute to help the Farney men go 1-7 to 0-2 clear and put them well on the way to recording their second win of the Division 2A campaign.

But Longford's left corner forward Padraig Berry replied with a goal of his own on 23 minutes, beating Shane Duffy with a measured finish.

Monaghan still led 1-10 to 1-6 at the break, and two early points from goal scorer Freeman, who tallied up 1-2 in all, nudged them further in front. They were soon nine points clear but Longford, who ramped five goals past hapless London last Sunday, came with a grandstand finish.

They grabbed two goals in the space of five minutes - Monaghan 'keeper Duffy could do little as Paul Barden planted a free to the back of the net.

Then a Barden dropped a '45' in towards the Monaghan square and midfielder Bernard McElvaney rose highest to punch home.

However, Seamus McEnaney's home side, with Paul Finlay impressing with 0-4, had done enough to see out a win that sees them temporarily top of the table.