Heroic Hoops undone by late Longford rally
The Castlebar Celtic starting team versus Longford Town. Back (left to right): Jordan Loftus, Dylan Edwards, Mark Cunningham, Stefan Hester, Fionn Mahon. Front: Oran Groarke, Johnny Cocozza, Ioseph O’Reilly, Brian Walsh, Mark Howley. Pictures: John Corless
The scoreline might suggest a comfortable outing for Longford Town, but it was anything but for the League of Ireland First Division side as Mayo Super League and Connacht Cup champions Castlebar Celtic gave them a big fright at a packed Celtic Park last Sunday.
It was all square with 15 minutes of normal time remaining, but Longford were beginning to turn the screw at this point. Their physicality and conditioning that comes with being a professional side was beginning to tell and impact off their bench proved the difference. Dean George put Longford noses in front on 75 minutes and late goals by Francis Campbell and George sent the midlanders into the third round of the FAI Cup.
Until George put them 4-3 in front, Celtic were very much in this game. Twice they took the lead in an incredible first half that saw six goals. The Hoops had their chances to go ahead in the second half, including a gilt-edged chance that fell to Jordan Loftus moments before Longford’s fourth goal.
There were heroic performances across the pitch. In goal, Stefan Hester will be disappointed at how the first half goals were conceded, but he pulled off some top saves to keep Celtic in the game. Mark Cunningham, Brian Walsh and Ioseph O’Reilly were outstanding in defence, Fionn Mahon and Johnnie Cocozza worked tirelessly in midfield while the physical presence of Eoghan Hughes up front gave the Longford defence plenty of food for thought.
Celtic’s dream start arrived inside three minutes. In what was the first real chance of the game, Dylan Edwards’s corner put the Longford defence at sea. Finding Cocozza, he laid it back to Mark Cunningham who hammered it home as Celtic Park erupted with joy and disbelief.
The delirium was short-lived. On ten minutes, Stefan Ugbesia played it into the path of Daragh Murtagh. While Celtic goalkeeper Hester read the situation, he failed to get to the ball before Murtagh and the centre-forward, who still had plenty to do, curled it into the empty net from the sideline.
Stevie Gavin’s side retook the lead on 16 minutes when a lovely through ball by Edwards put Eoghan Hughes in and he rolled it past the oncoming Longford goalkeeper Kian Moore. The lead barely lasted a minute as more suspect goalkeeping by Hester saw him palm Ugbesia’s cross into Murtagh, and the striker blasted the ball into the top corner from close range.
Midway through the first half, Longford went in front for the first time. A loose pass by Fionn Mahon was easily intercepted by Aaron Doran, who sucked Ioseph O’Reilly into a challenge before a short pass to Murtagh, who curled a great strike over Hester to complete his hat trick.
Longford began to see more of the ball but Celtic defended heroically. At the other end, they almost equalised thanks to a fierce low drive by Fionn Mahon, but Kian Moore was equal to it.
Almost out of nothing, Celtic were awarded a penalty when Jordan Loftus, who was beginning to dictate things going forward for Celtic in a deeper role, headed back Oran Groarke’s pass back across goal. Hughes and Osaze Irhue gave chase, and Irhue tripped up Hughes.
Referee Damien McGrath pointed to the spot and even if Kian Moore guessed the right way, the strike by Loftus had power and precision as it nestled into the top corner for Celtic’s equaliser. Again, Longford almost responded with another goal but Hester pulled off a remarkable double save to leave it at 3-3 at half-time.
The beginning of the second half almost saw another quick start. In similar fashion to the first, a corner from Edwards found its man but Ioseph O’Reilly’s glancing header went inches wide for Celtic.
Longford began to dominate the ball but Celtic threw their bodies in front of everything, with substitute Cathal Coyne solidifying the Hoops at the back. Another substitute, Luke Kelly, had a chance to put his name in lights on 71 minutes but his shot was easily gathered before a golden opportunity by Loftus was denied by Kian Moore four minutes later.
Longford made a trio of substitutes on 70 minutes, and two of them made a big impact inside five minutes. Topcu won the ball inside his own half and started a flowing move. After laying it off to Pharrell Manuel, he found substitute Emmanuel Oluwafemi, who after seeing his first pass blocked, regain the ball and played a lovely ball into Dean George who finished it to put Longford back in front.
Celtic bodies were beginning to tire, and matters were not helped after Oran Groarke went off with a nasty ankle injury after a coming together in the middle of the field. Longford ended Celtic’s brave resistance when a Daniel Norris free-kick was not cleared and Francis Campbell lashed it in from three yards before George got a second deep in injury-time to end Celtic’s FAI Cup journey.
