Limerick 4-9 Longford 1-11
First half goals from Brian Donovan and Cillian Fahy was enough to power Limerick to a well-deserved seven-point Allianz League Division 3 victory over Longford in the Gaelic Grounds on Saturday evening.
But the League opening win didn’t come without a scare for Billy Lee’s men, as Longford - boosted by the half-time introduction of Darragh Doherty - brought the game to within two points in stoppage time.
Limerick withheld the late Longford comeback as Robbie Bourke settled the nerves in reply of Doherty’s fisted goal before James Naughton rounded off a Limerick counterattack for his side’s fourth goal.
After a cautious start to the game from Longford, it was the hosts who got off to a flying start and were four points ahead by the third minute following a superb opening point from Cillian Fahy and a well-worked goal from the Limerick midfielder.
Fahy had raised the green flag after just three minutes and really showed composure to find the net. The Dromcollogher Broadford midfielder was put through on goal after an intelligent Pádraig De Brún pass split the Longford defence - Fahy’s low drive hit the back of the net past Longford ‘keeper Paddy Collum.
All of Limerick’s first half tally of 3-5 came from play, while Billy O’Loughlin’s men struggled in front of goal and managed just four points from play. It was Limerick 3-5 Longford 0-7 at the break.
After the restart, Longford were much improved and credit to O’Loughlin’s visiting side, they managed to narrow the deficit to six midway through the closing 35 minutes - boosted by the scoring efforts of two of the six players introduced from the bench.
Longford outscored the hosts in the third quarter, but both sides finished the second half on 1-4 apiece thanks to a late Limerick flurry.
A Darragh Doherty palmed goal - one minute into stoppage time - gave the hosts a real scare, narrowing the deficit to just two points.
However, Limerick upped the tempo in the dying moments and a last-minute James Naughton goal salvaged the win for the home side.
Limerick: Donal O'Sullivan (capt); Jim Liston, Sean O'Dea, Michael Donovan; Cian Sheehan, Iain Corbett, Robert Childs; Darragh Treacy, Cillian Fahy (1-3); Pádraig De Brún (0-1), Brian Donovan (2-1), James Naughton (1-1); Peter Nash, Josh Ryan (0-1, one free), Hugh Bourke (0-1). Subs: Paul Maher for Donovan (17 mins, injured), Adrian Enright for De Brún (42 mins), Robbie Bourke (0-1) for Ryan, Tony McCarthy for Childs (both 61 mins), Diarmuid Kelly for Nash (63 mins)
Longford: Paddy Collum; Patrick Fox, Andrew Farrell, Barry O'Farrell (0- 1); James Moran, Michael Quinn (capt ), Iarla O'Sullivan; Darren Gallagher (0- 2, two frees), Ryan Moffett; Peter Lynn, Aaron Farrell, Dessie Reynolds; Joseph Hagan (0- 2), Jayson Matthews (0- 2), Oran Kenny (0- 1, one mark). Subs: Robbie Smyth (0- 1) for Farrell, Darragh Doherty (1- 2, one free) for Lynn (both half-time), Keelin McGann for Hagan, Tadgh McNevin for Gallagher (53 mins), Ross McNerney for Kenny (61 mins), Cian Dooner for Smyth (66 mins, inj).
