"No-one gives us a chance in hell"

May 17, 2015

Longford manager Jack Sheedy (right) celebrates after beating Offaly in the Leinster SFC at O'Connor Park.
©INPHO/Cathal Noonan.

Jack Sheedy is under no illusions about the task facing his Longford side against Dublin in the Leinster SFC quarter-final on May 31.

The blue and golds are Croke Park-bound after staging a sensational comeback to beat Offaly in Tullamore last night, but Sheedy knows his native county will provide a far sterner challenge.

"It will be totally different," he noted in the Sunday Independent.

"But, you know, nobody in the country gives us a chance in hell of beating Dublin. And we've got to be realistic, they're three divisions higher than us and probably second favourites for the All-Ireland this year or very close to it.

"All we can ask from the guys on any given day is that they do their level best and try their hardest and they put in a very solid shift."

Sheedy reiterated his call for Dublin to play some of their Leinster SFC games outside the familiar surroundings of Croke Park.

"Why not? You'd put the guts of 30,000 people in here. Absolutely it should be played here (in O'Connor Park) but it's not going to be.

"I'm on record as having said that Dublin games should be brought out of Croke Park until the Leinster semi-final or final. And certain Dublin players have endorsed that and Jim Gavin has endorsed that. That's where it should be, that's not going to be, but we'll just get on with it.

"And we're looking forward to going to Croke Park. Those lads in there are going to be encouraged and enthusiastic about going to Croke Park because that's where the best teams play."


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