Updated: May 16th, 2021

FL: Longford 0-5 Derry 0-21

Derry’s Football League campaign got of to an impressive start at a rain-soaked Pearse Park, with a sixteen-point victory over Longford.

Game Recap

Three points each from Shane McGuigan and Niall Loughlin alongside a brace from midfielder Conor Glass made it 0-8 to 0-2 at half time.

Utterly dominant in the midfield exchanges, the Oak Leafers notched another nine points without reply by the second-half water break, capitalising fully on a black card to Longford midfielder David McGivney.

Emmett Bradley chipped in with three scores after the break, to go alongside an impressive left-footed strike from Ciaran McFaul and a score from Paudie Cassidy.

With the game out of sight, McGuigan and Loughlin kept the scoreboard ticking over with points from place balls and the Slaughtneil forward was unlucky to see a close-range effort barely clear the crossbar.

Rory Gallagher made a number of late substitutes to see out the game, including the introduction of Ben McCarron, who rounded off the scoring deep into second-half injury time.

Teams and Scorers

Longford: Paddy Collum; Patrick Fox, Andrew Farrell, Colm P. Smyth; Dessie Reynolds, Gary Rogers, Daniel Mimnagh (0-1); David McGivney, Kevin Diffley; Darren Gallagher (0-3,0-1free), Rian Brady, Michael Quinn; Robbie Smyth, Liam Connerton, Oran Kenny.

Subs: Peter Lynn for Reynolds and Barry McKeon for Diffley (ht), Joseph Hagan for Kenny (45), Larry Moran (0-1) for R Smyth, Iarla O’Sullivan for Brady, Darragh Doherty for Connerton (52), Gerard Flynn for Mimnagh (61)

Derry: Ohdrán Lynch; Christopher McKaigue, Brendan Rogers, Padraig McGrogan; Padraig Cassidy (0-1), Gareth McKinless, Conor Doherty; Conor Glass (0-2), Emmett Bradley (0-3); Ethan Doherty, Niall Loughlin (0-6,0-4frees, 0-2’45), Ciaran McFaul (0-1); Benny Heron, Shane McGuigan (0-7,0-5frees) Paul Cassidy.

Subs: Oisin McWilliams for Paul Cassidy (50), Paul McNeill for McKinless (59), Jack Doherty for Heron (61), Michael McEvoy for C Doherty (65), Ben McCarron (0-1) for E Doherty and Conleth McShane for Padraig Cassidy (67)

Referee: Jerome Henry (Mayo)

Game Highlights

Around the Web

Match report from RTE.ie

Match report from Longford Leader