Longford knocked out of UEFA Cup

Longford 2 Vaduz 3 (Vaduz win 4-2 on aggregate)

Liechtenstein Cup winners FC Vaduz are through to the second round of the UEFA Cup after a convincing 3-2 victory over Longford Town tonight ensured a 4-2 aggregate victory.

Leading 1-0 from the home leg of the tie two weeks ago, Vaduz’s passage into the second round was all but assured after four minutes of the second leg when winger Marius Zarn put them 2-0 ahead on aggregate.

Goal-shy Longford then needed to score three goals to progress and despite working hard they rarely threatened the goal with their first shot on target of the tie – home and away – not coming until the 65th minute.

By then, Vaduz had taken advantage of further generous Longford defending to take a 3-0 lead on the night and a 4-0 aggregate lead to ensure a disappointing evening for the FAI Cup winners.

Late consolation goals from Dean Fitzgerald and Barry Ferguson could not prevent the Irish side feeling disappointed.

The disappointment started after just four minutes when an off balance Zarn steered a Michael Stocklasa left-wing cross past Stephen O’Brien after Ferguson had been caught ball watching.

Longford did raise their game looking for a quick equaliser with Eric Lavine only inches away from getting on the end of a Dessie Baker cross with goalkeeper Carlos Silva stranded in the ninth minute.

But that was as close as Longford got in the first-half and a confident Vaduz side took full advantage of some poor Longford defending early in the second half.

In the 49th minute, a long pass by Michael Stocklasa caught out Alan Murphy - allowing Franz Burgmeier to run in behind him down the left before cutting inside past Ferguson and curling the ball around O’Brien.

And in the 55th minute, it got even worse for Longford when substitute Thomas Weller headed into the empty net from four yards after O’Brien had clawed away a flick header by Martin Stocklasa.

Longford did attempt to mount a fightback with Baker having a shot blocked by Daniel Hasler while Ferguson put a free header over.

With five minutes remaining, Longford grabbed a consolation goal when Fitzgerald sent a left-foot shot crashing past the goalkeeper from the edge of the area after a cross by Baker.

Ferguson slotted home a Murphy cross with two minutes remaining to reduce the deficit further – and Baker went close to earning what appeared an unlikely draw on the night when he hit the bar deep into injury-time with a long-range effort.