Preview: Longford Town vs Sporting Fingal

• Keith Wallace
• Thu, Jul 17 2008




Promotion hopefuls, fourth-placed Sporting Fingal will be hoping to increase the heat on the top three when they travel to Longford Town in an important eircom League of Ireland First Division fixture at Flancare Park on Friday evening (kick-off 8.00pm).

The Santry outfit will also be out for revenge having suffered an embarrassing 5-1 hammering on their first ever outing in football at the venue on the opening day of the season. The sides have since met at the Morton Stadium, back in May, when the midlanders again frustrated their opponents as only a late Robbie Doyle penalty earned Fingal a point.

Liam Buckley’s men have been in good form lately, however, with just one defeat in their last eleven games in all competitions - their latest win coming last weekend away to Wexford Youths. “I was delighted with the victory against Wexford Youths, especially as we weren’t at our best on the night,” said Buckley.

“With the way the other results went last weekend, it was important to pick up the three points in order to edge closer towards the three teams ahead of us in the table.”

He added: “Longford beat us convincingly in our first game of the season but that’s well forgotten about. We need to concentrate on maintaining our performance levels and if the players keep to the standards I know they can, we’ll be going further in the right direction.”

Longford, on the other hand, enter the match on their worst run of form of the year as they have lost three in a row, all on a 1-0 scoreline. Just four weeks ago, however, they inflicted a 2-0 defeat on the then league leaders Shelbourne, and manager Aaron Callaghan will be hopeful of a return to that kind of form here.

Team News: Central defender Aidan Collins is the only injury doubt for Fingal, who have no suspensions. Longford’s backline is also one short as Luke Hardy is suspended as a result of accumulating four yellow cards, while goalkeeper Shay Kelly is also absent as he has announced his retirement from the game.