NFL Division 4
Antrim v Longford
Sunday – Portglenone 2.00pm
It’s a must win for Antrim as they entertain Longford this Sunday but even that might not be enough to at least put the Saffrons in the promotion chasing pack.
Mark Doran’s appointment as Antrim manager at the start of the season has not seen his side make the start that a lot of their supporters had expected with defeats at home to Carlow and away to Tipperary and if they are to maintain even a glimmer of hope of promotion then there is simply no more room for error.
Antrim started their campaign with a home defeat to Carlow in Portglenone where they opened impressively as they raced into an early three point lead but two quick fire goals from the visitors turned the game on its head and they lost by four points.
On day 2 the Saffrons travelled to Tipperary and were again beaten by four but while they posted 1-15 on day one they could only manage a paltry 1-9 in Moneygall, a total that must be of grave concern to the Antrim management.
Their opponents on Sunday, Longford haven’t fared a lot better in this year’s campaign when they lost to visitors London at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on the 1st February after their opening day fixture away to Waterford was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
Daniel Reynolds whoes late goal gave Longford victory over Waterford in Dungarven last weekend
That game was re-fixed for last weekend where a late goal from Daniel Reynolds saw them grab a dramatic win in Dungarvan over Waterford to get their first points on board.
Reynolds’ stoppage-time goal secured two precious league points for Longford, but it did so in a manner that encapsulated both the promise and the persistent vulnerabilities of this team. It was a win that relieved pressure rather than banishing it, and a performance that showed improvement without being entirely convincing.
Mike Solan made three changes from the London game: James Moran came in for Oisín Kenny, Dylan Farrell replaced Cathal McCabe, and Ronan Sweeney also started in place of Cian Brady. The reshuffle brought more physicality into the team.
Late scores from Farrell (a 45) and Peter Lynn edged Longford ahead at half-time, 1-8 to 1-7 but an early Waterford goal and a brace of points from Conor Murray saw Waterford move into a 3 point lead 10 minutes into the second half.
Dessie Reynolds then struck two outrageous back-to-back two-pointers. His brother Daniel added another point, and for a period it looked as though Longford might pull clear.
Waterford, however, refused to go away quietly and Solan turned to his bench, introducing Cian Brady, who marked his appearance with a tidy score to keep Longford two clear.
Trailing by three late in the game, Farrell clipped over a free to keep Longford alive as the game edged into injury time before Daniel Reynolds broke clear to fire to the net for the decisive goal that ultimately sealed a 2-18 to 3-14 victory.
Last season, Longford won only two league games and while they will take heart from the Dungarven victory they are unlikely to be beaming with confidence as they make the long journey North.
Meanwhile it was a frustrating afternoon for Mark Doran’s men in Moneygall, as a combination of a controversial red card and testing conditions saw Antrim fall to a 1-13 to 1-09 defeat against Tipperary. Despite the setbacks, the Saffrons showed immense character, battling with 13 men in the closing stages and coming within a whisker of snatching a result in this Allianz Football League Division 4 clash.
The game’s major talking point arrived just before half-time with Antrim leading 0-05 to 0-04 when referee Ian Monaghan brandished a straight red card to John Carron, a decision that left the Saffron faithful reeling and the team with a massive uphill task for the second half.
Up to that point, the visitors had looked composed, with O’Donovan Rossa’s Dominic McEnhill in clinical form, accounting for five superb points from play throughout the contest.
McEnhill’s inclusion added to the Saffron firepower but didn’t fully solve a problem that has seen Antrim miss just too many chances over their two opening games and it will be something that they will be keen to address as they take on Longford this weekend.
Carron will be unavailable for the Longford clash so Cathal Hynds and Conor Hand, who both came on as substitutes against Tipperary should come into consideration for a mid-field starting birth.
Hynds, like his Con Magee’s colleague, Ryan McQuillan have been involved with Queen’s in a Sigerson Cup campaign that finished last weekend when they were beaten by University Limerick but both players have been turning in impressive performances for the students.
The availability of McQuillan from the start this weekend would potentially add weight to the Antrim scoring threat as they go searching for an opening league win in this third round fixture.
Despite those defeats there have been periods in both games where Antrim have performed well and if they can find their shooting boots this weekend then they can produce the win that could ignite their stuttering season.
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