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Celebration time for the Longford players. INPHO/Donall Farmer.
Victories

Leinster U21FC: Longford shock Dublin as Wexford defeat Westmeath

Two counties who met in the 2011 Leinster U21 final will face off in this year’s semi-final.

Longford 1-6
Dublin 1-5

Longford shocked reigning All-Ireland champions Dublin to record a stunning success in tonight’s Leinster U21FC quarter-final at Parnell Park.

Ciaran Kilkenny saw his late attempt to draw the game from a free go off-target as the Midlands held on for a major victory with Robbie Smyth’s goal in the finale a crucial effort.

Longford, 2010 Leinster minor champions, faced up against a Dublin team that had crushed Carlow in their opening round and contained a plethora of players with All-Ireland medals at underage grades.

Yet Longford put up a strong challenge from the outset with Dublin not registering a score until the 21st minute when Kilkenny raised their only green flag of the game.

Dublin lead by 1-1 to 0-3 at half-time and they moved ahead 1-3 to 0-4 during the second-half thanks to points from Kilkenny and Shane Carthy.

But Longford continued to challenge strongly and Robbie Smyth found the net to give them the initiative with seven minutes remaining. Despite a fightback from Dessie Farrell’s Dublin team, who were priced at 1/14 for victory beforehand, Longford held on for glory.

Scorers for Longford: Robbie Smyth 1-3 (0-1f), Diarmuid Cooney, Rory O’Connor, Mark Hughes (0-1f) 0-1 each.
Scorers for Dublin: Ciaran Kilkenny 1-1 (0-1f), Gavin Ivory 0-2, Emmett O Conghaille, Shane Carthy (0-1 ’45) 0-1 each.

LONGFORD: Paddy Collum (Fr. Manning Gaels); Ronan Keogh (Killoe Young Emmets), Barry O’Farrell (Carrickedmond), Cian Farrelly (Killoe Young Emmets); Diarmuid Cooney (Fr. Manning Gaels), Padraig McCormack (Killoe Young Emmetts), Darren Farrelly (Fr. Manning Gaels); Paddy Thopmson (Killoe Young Emmets), Darren Gallagher (St Mary’s); Daniel Mimnagh (Killoe Young Emmets), Barry McKeon (Colmcille), Rory O’Connor (Kenagh); Robbie Smyth (Abbeylara), Mark Hughes (Killoe Young Emmets), James McGivney (St Colmuba’s).

Subs: Cillian Lynn (Wolfe Tones) for OConnor, Andrew Dalton (Longford Slashers) for McGivney, Dylan Quinn (Fr Manning Gaels) for Mimnagh.

DUBLIN: Lorcan Molloy (St Anne’s); Ross McGowan (Kilmacud Crokes), David Byrne (Naomh Olaf), Niall McGovern (Na Fianna); Eric Lowndes (St Peregrine’s), Conor Mulally (Cuala), Jack McCaffrey (Clontarf); Stephen Cunningham (St Sylvester’s), Emmet Ó Conghaile (Lucan Sarsfields); Paul Maguire (St Judes), Shane Carthy (Naomh Mearnóg), Danny Byrne (St Maur’s); Paul Mannion (Kilmacud Crokes), Adam Caffrey (Na Fianna), Ciarán Kilkenny (Castleknock).

Subs: Niall Scully (Templeogue Synge Street) for Danny Byrne, Conor McHugh (Na Fianna) for Caffrey (38), Gavin Ivory (Raheny) for Maguire, Philly Ryan (St Brigid’s) for Mannion.

Referee: Garreth Whelan (Wicklow)

Ciaran Kilkenny’s late free attempt to draw the game. Pic: INPHO/Donall Farmer

Wexford 2-10
Westmeath 0-15

A last-gasp goal by Robert Dempsey secured an extra-time victory for the Model County against Westmeath in tonight’s quarter-final tie in Cusack Park in Mullingar.

Wexford had enjoyed a 1-4 to 0-5 lead at the halfway point of normal time when Dempsey grabbed his first goal. But the teams were tied at 1-8 to 0-11 apiece by the 60th minute mark to force extra-time.

Points by John Heslin and Seanie Daly had pushed Westmeath into a 0-15 to 1-10 lead approaching the finale before Dempsey found the net to secure a dramatic win for Wexford.

Scorers for Wexford: Robert Dempsey 2-0, Alan Tobin 0-4 (0-4f), AJ Lehan (0-2f), Lee Devereux (0-1f) 0-2 each, John Tubritt, Colm Kehoe 0-1 each.
Scorers for Westmeath: John Heslin 0-7 (0-6f), Seanie Daly 0-4 (0-4f), Kelvin Reilly, Alan Coffey, Martin Rock, Lorcan Dolan 0-1 each.

WEXFORD: Michael O’Toole (Starlights); Darren Foley (Fethard), Thomas Cullen (St Anne’s), Aidan Cash (Shelmaliers); Jack Kelly (Starlights), Diarmuid O’Keeffe (St Anne’s), Lee Chin (Sarsfields); Colm Kehoe (Cloughbawn), Edward O’Byrne (St Martin’s); John Tubritt (Fethard), Cathal O’Brien (St Fintan’s), A J Lehan (Shelmaliers); Lee Devereux (St Mary’s), Graeme Cullen (Gusserane), Robert Dempsey (Glynn-Barntown).

Subs: Matthew Cody (Rathgarogue-Cushenstown) for O’Byrne (34), Alan Tobin (Starlights) for Lehan (44), Eddie Shiely (Horeswood) for O’Brien (44), Patrick Breen (Ferns St Aidan’s) for Devereux (57), Kieran Butler (Geraldine O’Hanrahan’s) for Foley (75), Stephen Corrigan (Shelmaliers) for Cullen (79).

WESTMEATH: Kevin Maguire (The Downs); John Rock (Tang), Jason O’Toole (St Loman’s, Mullingar), Gary McCallon (Garrycastle); Killian Daly (Mullingar Shamrocks), Stephen Gilmore (St Loman’s, Mullingar), Paddy Joyce (Mullingar Shamrocks); John Heslin (St Loman’s, Mullingar), Trevor English (Tang); Kelvin Reilly (St Loman’s, Mullingar), Seanie Daly (Mullingar Shamrocks), Paddy Holloway (Castledaly); Jamie Gonoud (Tyrrellspass), David McCormack (Rosemount), Alan Coffey (Tubberclair).

Subs: Martin Rock (Tang) for Gonoud (47), David Whelan (St Loman’s, Mullingar) for Joyce (49), Lorcan Dolan (Castledaly for McCormack (56).

Referee: Fergal Barry (Kildare)

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