Drogheda United 0
Longford Town 3
LONGFORD TOWN SECURED their Premier Division status for another year and sent hopeless Drogheda United one step closer to the First Division with a comprehensive win at United Park.
On the season’s penultimate night, Mark Kinsella’s side could not have got off to a worse start. This will have been a game they will have earmarked for a potential three points amidst their most difficult of run-ins.
If going a goal down to a Gary Shaw header – from a set-piece no less – after just three minutes wasn’t bad enough, Drogheda were soon chasing that deficit with just ten men.
Eight minutes in, Joe Gorman, who was playing as a makeshift centre back, received his second booking in the space of three minutes. It was a needless challenge on Ayman Ben Mohamed and he left his teammates facing over 80 minutes of football with a man disadvantage.
Tony Cousins’ men came into the game buoyed from last week’s win over Cork City and would have been confident of securing their spot in the top flight after the Drogs shocker of a start.
Both David O’Sullivan and Kevin O’Connor tested Micheal Schlingermann with tame enough efforts in the first half but the home side could – perhaps should – have had a penalty after Tiernan Mulvenna was hauled down in the area when clean through on goal.
Just after the break, the impressive Ben Mohamed rattled the crossbar with a brilliant long range effort as the Town dominated. But Drogheda could have drawn level. Jason Marks’ lofted ball over the top was flicked on by Mulvenna and with Keith Treacy bearing down on goal, he could only lift his chip over goalkeeper and bar.
Shaw – who hadn’t scored for almost seven months prior to his early header – finally doubled Longford’s lead on 78 minutes when he raced onto Kevin O’Connor’s through ball and fired a left foot shot past Schlingermann.
As the clocked ticked past 90, Stephen Rice swept home from close range to compound Drogheda’s misery and send the sizeable away contingent home happy.
The outcome of Saturday’s match between Galway United and Bray could condemn the Louth men to a relegation play-off, but they now know defeat against Shamrock Rovers next week, coupled with a Limerick win would mean automatic relegation to the First Division.
Drogheda United: Micheal Schlingermann, Mick Daly, Alan Byrne, Joe Gorman, Jason Marks, Robert Bayly (Robert McKenna, 76), Sean Thornton, Mark Hughes, Keith Treacy (Adam Whelan, 79), Sean Brennan, Tiernan Mulvenna (Liam Donnelly, 86).
Subs: Mark O’Brien, Sam McGowan, James Daly, Ger Pender.
Longford Town: Paul Skinner, Pat Sullivan, Rhys Gorman, Mark Rossiter (Jamie Mulhall, 30), Conor Powell, Gary Shaw, Philip Gannon (Mark Salmon, 76), Kevin O’Connor, Stephen Rice, Ayman Ben Mohamed, David O’Sullivan (Dean Kelly, 76).
Subs: Paul Hunt, Martin Deady, Lorcan Shannon, Kaleem Simon.
Referee: Padraigh Sutton