Double delight in Longwood
November 30, 2009It represents an outstanding achievement to win adult titles in hurling and football in the one year and the massive amount of effort which went into it has to be appreciated. Now the club's supporters can savour the prospect of watching their heroes playing senior hurling and intermediate football next year.
Cyril Maguire was an outstanding hurler with the Kilmessan club and he was the man who guided Longwood to their intermediate victory, which was achieved despite a less than convincing start to the qualification campaign. But when it came to final day at Pairc Tailteann there was no denying that they were worthy champions.
Kilmessan's second string, winners of the junior title last year, provided the first round opposition at Kildalkey where the teams finished level (Longwood 1-11, Kilmessan 2-8). They were also tied (1-5 apiece) at the break after Aaron Ennis had netted for the 'Wood. When a second round defeat followed against Blackhall Gaels who won by 1-12 to 0-11 at Boardsmill things weren't looking too promising. It was all square on six points each at the interval, but a goal at the three-quarter stage proved decisive for Blackhall.
But the campaign improved steadily from there. Drumree were overcome by 2-11 to 0-13 at Boardsmill where Michael and Anthony Healy scored the goals, with Longwood leading by 1-7 to 1-6 at half-time.
Longwood scored freely when they beat Kilskyre by 4-16 to 1-10 at Athboy. Two goals from Jim Dorran helped them to lead by 2-4 to 0-8 at the break and Anthony Healy and Coran Byrne found the net in the second period. A surprisingly comfortable 3-9 to 0-9 victory followed against Dunderry in the last round of group matches and Longwood had achieved their first target of reaching the semi-finals.
And there to meet them at Boardsmill were Kilmessan, with whom they had already drawn. This was another tight game in which Kilmessan led by 1-4 to 0-5 at the interval, but it was highly significant that Longwood held them scoreless in the last 24 minutes, before Anthony Healy fired over a brilliant winning point with less than five minutes to go.
Kilmessan piled on the pressure subsequently, but they couldn't get an equaliser, and Longwood were one step away from a return to the senior ranks after winning by 0-12 to 2-5. But it had the appearances of a big step against Blackhall Gaels who had beaten them by four points in the second round of qualification matches.
Minor player Anthony Healy is unquestionably a very talented hurler and he was a true star of the final as Longwood overcame the dismissal of the hugely influential Mickey Burke a minute into the second half to win by 1-15 to 0-11. It was a thoroughly deserved win which was built around a tremendous defensive performance and Healy's accuracy. He scored 10 points.
Seven of them came in the first half and Burke, Aaron Ennis and Michael Healy - an uncle of Anthony - were also on the mark as Longwood opened up a 0-10 to 0-7 interval lead. But with Burke gone and their advantage down to the minimum within eight minutes of the restart they appeared to be in trouble.
However, with their backs to the wall Longwood responded superbly. Their defence battled with great determination, led brilliantly by full-back Enda Dixon and centre-back and captain Karl Ennis, and the selectors were also in form as they introduced Bernard Reilly who scored the game's only goal.
Reilly got married two days before the final and the decision to delay his honeymoon proved a prudent one as he got the score which propelled Longwood into a 1-11 to 0-9 lead and in the direction of the title. They powered away after that and were seven points clear at the finish.
The Longwood team was: Alan Ennis; Daragh Maguire, E Dixon, M Bermingham; J Mahon, K Ennis, J Stenson; M Burke (0-1), Aaron Ennis (0-2); C Lynch, M Healy (0-1), C Byrne; A Healy (0-10), J Dorran, Declan Maguire. Subs - R Ennis for Declan Maguire, B Reilly (1-0) for Byrne, N Ennis (0-1) for Aaron Ennis, R Dorran for J Dorran, D Stack for Lynch.
Longwood completed the big double in style, winning all nine matches in the Junior Football Championship and capping a brilliant campaign with a hard earned victory over Dunsany in the final. They had been knocking on the door in recent years since winning the Junior B title in 2004 and lost semi-finals in 2005, 2006 and 2008.
Mark McDonagh, a son of Galway legend Mattie McDonagh, was their coach and they powered their way through the group campaign with six straight victories which enabled them to top the section comfortably ahead of Dunsany. It was no wonder that practically every football follower in the county was tipping them for outright success.
Longwood opened up with a 1-13 to 1-6 victory over Curraha at Bective where they played against the wind in the first half and were on level terms (1-4 each) at the interval after Aaron Ennis had scored their goal. They took over in the second half to win comfortably.
That was followed by a 3-7 to 0-7 win against Meath Hill at Martry when Aaron Ennis scored two first half goals and Wayne Leonard also netted to open up a 3-3 to 0-6 interval advantage.
Mickey Burke contributed 1-3 when they got the better of Donaghmore/Ashbourne by 3-12 to 3-8 at Summerhill and they were well on their way to the knockout stages. Burke and Karl Ennis goaled in the first half to help open up a 2-4 to 0-4 lead at the change of ends and Leonard scored an important goal in the second half.
A 1-14 to 2-6 victory followed over Bective at Kildalkey and they then beat Summerhill by 2-11 to 1-8 at Boardsmill where a first half tally of 2-2 from Rory Maguire helped them lead by 2-3 to 1-2 at half-time. The group campaign was completed with a 0-10 to 0-6 success against Dunsany at Summerhill after Longwood had led by 0-4 to 0-1 at half-time.
St Brigid's proved no match for Longwood in the quarter-final at Athboy where it finished 1-11 to 1-1, with Aaron Ennis getting the winners' goal, but the stakes were always going to be raised when they came face to face with a talented Drumbaragh side in a last four meeting at Dunderry.
Leonard scored a goal for Longwood after 20 minutes, but Drumbaragh netted twice in the first period and led by 2-5 to 1-7 at the interval. However, it all changed in the second half when the 'Wood took over, with former Drumree player John Cullinane and Burke driving them on from midfield.
Cullinane scored the first two points of the second period to set the right tone and when Leonard notched his second goal they were looking good with a 2-12 to 2-7 advantage at the start of the last quarter. There was still five points (2-15 to 2-10) in it at the end on a day when the full-forward line of Aaron Ennis, Leonard and Rory Maguire played a major role in the victory. Leonard tallied 2-2 and Ennis and Maguire both contributed two points.
Longwood struggled to discover their best form in the final against a tenacious Dunsany team, but they found most in the closing stages to close out the game and win their first junior title since 1939.
Their most noted players came to the fore when they were needed most, with Mickey Burke turning in a powerful, energetic performance and Rory Maguire capping a brilliant display with six points. The competitors in the Dublin Marathon the following day hardly covered as many miles! Cullinane also came into his own in the latter stages.
Longwood played with the wind in the first half, but Dunsany really put it up to them and the sides were level on 0-4 each at the break. The underdogs scored the first two points, but Burke got Longwood's opening score and Maguire added three more to complete their first period tally.
The second half remained close for a long way, but it essentially boiled down to goal chances for both sides - one of which was taken. Dunsany's Charlie Keena had an opportunity after 40 minutes, but his weak effort was saved by Longwood 'keeper Jarlath Cully and the team in red had missed a chance to set themselves up for victory.
Maguire underlined his importance to the team when he played a brilliant pass to Leonard in the 56th minute at a time when Longwood were ahead by 0-8 to 0-7. The full-forward finished well for the game's only goal and they had one hand on the Matthew Ginnity Cup. Maguire added his sixth point and captain Burke his third and Longwood were worthy champions, winning by 1-10 to 0-7.
It completed some year for Burke who also helped Meath win the Nicky Rackard Cup and was a member of the county football panel which reached the All-Ireland semi-finals.
The Longwood team was: J Cully; C Greene, E Dixon, J Colgan; B Hanna, V Byrne, J Mahon; J Cullinane, M Burke (0-3); G Ennis, M Weir, K Ennis; A Ennis (0-1), W Leonard (1-0), R Maguire (0-6). Subs - E Lynch for K Ennis, C Lynch for G Ennis, P Bannon for Weir. Tweet
