Longford minors seal county's first win over Dublin in 22 years

Longford’s first championship win over Dublin for 22 years was the big story on Wednesday night.

Longford’s first championship win over Dublin for 22 years was the big story in Wednesday night’s round of games in the Leinster minor football championship, as the home side picked up a memorable 3-8 to 1-9 win over the Dubs in Newtownforbes to confirm their place as group winners and the first team into this year’s provincial semi-finals.

Donach Magee opened the scoring for the visitors but Longford exploded into the game with a goal from full-forward Joshua Marsh on his home club pitch after five minutes.

It seemed like Dublin were back on track when nice scores from Jack O’Keeffe and Senan Bolger brought them back to within a point after 20 minutes, with no further scores before the interval.

The ten minutes after half-time was where Longford won the game, however, when Oisín Kane and Karl O’Hara found the net to help push the lead out to 3-6 to 0-6, and while Dublin gave themselves a lifeline with a Hugh O’Neill penalty, Longford held firm to confirm top spot in group one.

Laois are now officially eliminated from contention after Offaly picked up a 2-8 to 0-10 win in O’Moore Park.

Laois hit three points in a row after Offaly opened the scoring through Mark Bryant, but they needed to kick on with the wind behind them, and instead trailed by 1-3 to 0-5 at half-time, Cian McNamee firing in Offaly’s goal.

Points from Ultan Dunne, Eanna Byrne and Darren Brennan nudged Laois back into the lead in the third quarter, but Dylan Dunne’s goal after 54 minutes and late points from McNamee and Senan Hanniffy clinched Offaly’s win.

In group two, Louth started well but were reeled in by Meath in the second quarter, leading to the Royals holding a one-point advantage at the interval at Hunterstown.

Cillian McQuillan, Joe Hanlon (two) and Donnacha Skinnader hit points to put Louth in control in the third quarter, and once Brendan Cassidy got his fist to Emmet Duffy’s shot to score the game’s only goal with four minutes remaining, Louth had enough in the tank to concede four late points and still run out 1-10 to 0-11 winners.

Kildare are also sitting pretty with two wins from two in group two, though they were pushed to the wire by Westmeath in Kinnegad.

Christóir Ormsby’s goal after ten minutes put Westmeath five points clear, but that was the catalyst for Kildare to spring to life, and at half-time they were just 1-3 to 0-4 behind and full of momentum, with Rúaidhrí O’Dywer starring up front with two fine points.

William Scahill’s goal after five minutes of the second half rocked the Lily Whites again and there was still three points in it midway through the half, but Kildare rattled off four points in succession and then clinched a 1-12 to 2-6 win on the back of Paddy Ryan’s green flag with five minutes to play.

Finally, in group three, Wicklow and Wexford look set to take the two preliminary quarter-final spots after Wicklow edged out Wexford by 0-9 to 0-8 at St. Patrick’s Park in Enniscorthy.