Semi-Finals, they say, are for winning. And ultimately Longwood did manage to secure the desired result, but not before a few scares along the way from a dogged Dunderry side.
Longwood sleepwalked through the opening stages and trailed 2-2 to 0-1 with only six minutes on the clock. Playing against a stiff breeze they looked set for a long and painful afternoon but credit to the team, they rolled up their sleeves, steadied the ship and dominated the remainder of the opening half. Central to this was Gavin Griffith’s direct running which caused all sorts of problems for the Dunderry back line.
By half-time, Longwood had drawn level 1-7 to 2-4, the goal coming from an Anthony Healy penalty after Karl Ennis had been fouled close to goal.
The early stages of the second half saw Longwood take control. A powerhouse display from midfielder Billy Hogan was a key contributor; some excellent fielding and three points from play were the highlights of his performance. He was ably supported by the Healy brothers, Damien and Anthony who scored 1-11 between them. The newly married Karl Ennis was a constant thorn in Dunderry’s side; in addition to winning the first half penalty, Ennis registered four points from play throughout the hour.
The one disappointing note for Longwood was the concession of five goals. Three second half goals turned a comfortable lead into a one-point deficit with just five minutes remaining. Was all their hard work to be in vain? In fairness, the boys remained calm and finished strongly, scoring six points in the dying embers of the game.
Scoring 1-24 in a windswept Trim is no mean feat, but the players and management will be all too aware that conceding goals is a recipe for defeat. They have two weeks to iron out these kinks with a final against an in-form Na Fianna on the horizon. As the evenings shorten and the temperatures drop, that is something to look forward to.
Longwood: Mark Kennedy, Adam Leacy, Conor Dixon (0-1), Ross Kerrigan, Mickey Burke (0-1), Bob Maguire, Brian Stagg, Sean Coloe (Capt.) (0-2), Ryan Moore (0-2), Gavin Griffith, Billy Hogan (0-3), Damien Healy (0-3), Karl Ennis (0-4), Anthony Healy (1-8), Joey Stenson. Subs: Kevin Heagney for Gavin Griffith, Thomas Dorran, David Coloe, Ben McLoughlin, Fionn Hannon, Kieran Murtagh.
