Longford Town 1 - 2 Wexford Youths

• Deniese O'Flaherty
• Sat, Oct 23 2010


A Jekyll and Hyde performance from Longford Town saw them slump to their 16th league defeat of the season when they lost 2-1 to Wexford Youths in front of the smallest crowd of the season in Flancare Park.

Town played well in the first half and went in at the break deservedly in front but their performance after the break was woeful and they offered very little in terms of chances.

Once again it was defensive problems that haunted them. With six minutes of the game remaining and being held 1-1 slack defending allowed Anthony Wolfe to head past Town keeper Stephen Conlon.

After a poor opening quarter the game sprung into life in the 16th minute when the home side took the lead. Don Cowan did very well to make a break down the wing, he got inside the box and crossed for Lee Roche to shoot home from close range.

Six minutes later Wexford had a chance to get back on level terms; Gary Sheahan went through on goal but Town defender Thomas Hyland did well to race back to put in an excellent tackle and put the ball out for a corner.

Town’s Jason Oladele did well to get inside the box in the 25th minute but instead of releasing the ball he decided to shoot himself but blasted it over. The visitors came close again in the 30th minute; bad defending from the Town allowed Danny Furlong to try his luck but Conlon saved the striker’s close range header.

Furlong wasted a glorious opportunity to grab an equaliser just before the breal. The Town defence stood still waiting for the flag to be raised with the striker well offside. Conlon came racing out of goals and the striker decided to take a shot but he amazingly blasted his effort wide.

Wexford’s pressure paid off in the 57th minute when they levelled the game; Kevin Rowe with a superb strike from about 25 yards out.

Town were denied a penalty in the 71st minute after Wexford defender Shane Nolan appeared to bundle Don Cowan over in the box but referee Kevin O’Regan waved away Town’s penalty claims.

And then loose marking in the 84th minute proved costly for the Town as Wolfe made sure the visitors went back to the South East with the three pts. The only good thing for the Town was the fact that Athlone Town also lost, so their rivals are still one point behind them.

Longford Town: Conlon, Deans, Hyland, Lester, Lee, Brady, Salmon, Walsh (Mooney 68), Oladele (Glynn 76), Cowan, L Roche (Hynes 60).
Subs not used: Cronin, A Roche.

Wexford Youths: Holden, Nolan, McCurtin, Russell, Wolfe, Dempsey (Broaders 66), Kehoe, Ryan, Furlong, Sheahan, Rowe (Yelverton 83).
Subs not used: Mullen, Hennelly, Doyle.

Referee: K O’Regan (Kerry)