Longford defeat Dublin to win back-to-back O'Byrne Cup titles

BACK TO BACK TITLES: Longford defeated Dublin to win back to back O'Byrne Cup titles. Pic:  ©INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan

O'Byrne Cup final

Dublin 0-9

Longford 1-12

Victory in Portlaoise and the warm feeling of back-to-back O’Byrne Cup senior football titles for Longford – the first time they’ve achieved that feat – but would manager Paddy Christie swap it all for a win back here next Saturday? Probably.

Longford won this competition in 2023 and yet they only won two more games in the entire year; one in the National League as they slipped to Division 4 and one more in the Tailteann Cup.

So while Keelin McGann’s 44th minute goal was celebrated, as were the efforts of rising star Cathal McCabe, who was named Man of the Match, and midfielder Darren Gallagher, they will realise that there are bigger fish to fry than Dublin’s development squad.

That was essentially what the All-Ireland champions offered up for this competition with only five players – David O’Hanlon, Evan Comerford, Brian O’Leary, Colm Basquel and Niall Scully – who possessed Championship experience.

For Longford, the big target now is to come back to Portlaoise next weekend and beat hosts Laois in Round 1 of the National League. The two teams have been installed as favourites for promotion from Division 4 and whoever wins that Saturday evening game will be in a great position to push on for a big spring.

As for Dublin, they now turn their attention to next Saturday’s National League Division 1 opener against Monaghan at Croke Park.

Dessie Farrell said beforehand that the result was almost immaterial to the All-Ireland title holders as he sought to run the rule over as many new players as possible before the league.

Basquel’s involvement for the first time in the campaign brought the number of Dublin players to feature in this year’s competition to 27.

Farrell drafted in goalkeeper Evan Comerford, Basquel and wing-forward Conor Dolan into his lineup. Otherwise it was the same dozen that lined out in last weekend’s 5-17 to 1-11 semi-final demolition of Wexford.

Longford went with 13 of the team that overcame Meath by a goal in an Ashbourne arm wrestle. The hugely experienced Mickey Quinn dropped down to the bench for the midlands outfit while captain Paddy Fox and corner-forward Daniel Reynolds came back into the team.

With next weekend’s league opener in mind, there was a significant blow for Longford in the 24th minute when key attacker Daniel Mimnagh was taken off with an injury.

Things looked better on the scoreboard at least as they led by 0-4 to 0-3 at that stage and stretched the gap to three points by the half-hour, 0-6 to 0-3.

McCabe and midfield free-taker Gallagher scored a brace of points apiece in that initial period.

They were fortunate to lead though as Dublin failed to convert three separate goal opportunities that came their way in the first 12 minutes.

Lowry, fresh off a hat-trick of goals against Wexford, had an early shot blocked by defender Ryan Moffett. Three minutes later, Comerford and Senan Forker combined to play in Kevin Lahiff but his shot was saved by goalkeeper Patrick Collum.

Forker himself smashed a shot off the woodwork in the 12th minute as Dublin supporters who made the trip south began to wonder if it was going to be one of those days.

Longford had a decent goal chance that went abegging too, Jayson Matthews blasting straight at Comerford when running in from the left in the 18th minute.

Late Longford points before half-time from Daniel Reynolds and Mark Hughes left them sitting pretty at half-time with a 0-8 to 0-3 lead.

But there was one giant caveat – Longford had a near gale force wind behind them in the first-half. It was raining heavily too, all of which they would have to contend with in the second-half.

David O’Hanlon, who started last year’s Championship campaign for Dublin before being replaced by Stephen Cluxton, came on for the second-half along with corner-back Ben Millist and corner-forward Breathnach.

The hope was that Breathnach could work the same magic he did last weekend when he blasted 1-4 against Wexford.

The Ballinteer man only needed three minutes to get on the scoreboard and register a point.

McGinnis struck shortly after for his second Dublin point but the game turned in the 44th minute when McGann hit that killer goal for Longford.

Joseph Hagan created it with a clever ball down the line to McCabe and when his marker Millist slipped, McCabe strode free and set up McGann who still had to round the ‘keeper.

Midfielder Daire Duggan added a point soon after and suddenly Longford were in the driving seat with a 1-10 to 0-5 lead.

Dublin refused to throw in the towel and edged the final quarter by 0-4 to 0-2 on the scoreboard but they needed a goal and one never arrived.

Scorers for Longford: D Gallagher (0-4, 4 frees); K McGann (1-0); C McCabe (0-3, 1 mark); J Hagan (0-2); Daniel Reynolds, Mark Hughes & D Duggan (0-1 each).

Scorers for Dublin: K McGinnis (0-3, 2 frees); L Breathnach (0-2); B O’Leary (1 free), N Scully, L Swan (1 free) & C Basquel (1 free) (0-1 each).

LONGFORD: P Collum; B O’Farrell, O O’Toole, B Masterson; P Fox, R Moffett, I O’Sullivan; D Gallagher, D Duggan; K McGann, Daniel Reynolds, J Hagan; J Matthews, D Mimnagh, C McCabe.

Subs: Mark Hughes for Mimnagh (24); M Quinn for Reynolds (47); R Harkin for McGann (71); D Finlass for Matthews (73).

DUBLIN: E Comerford; E O’Dea, L Howley, L Smith; A Gavin, S Forker, K Lahiff; P Duffy, E Dunne; C Dolan, N Scully, K McGinnis; C Basquel, B O’Leary, S Lowry.

Subs: L Breathnach for Dolan, D O’Hanlon for Comerford & B Millist for O’Dea (h/t); E O’Connor Flanagan for Howley & E Wilde for O’Leary (59); L Swan for Duffy (60); K McKeown for Lahiff (67).

Ref: J Foley (Carlow).