Longwood revived their bid for a place at the business end of the Ted Murtagh SHC with this merited third round win over Group A neighbours Boardsmill at sunny Trim on Thursday evening.

Longwood ......... 0-18
Boardsmill ......... 1-13

Last year's runners-up doubled their tally from the 45th minute to the end to post their second win from three outings. In the process they consigned Boardsmill to their first loss of the campaign.

Once again Anthony Healy took the scoring honours for Longwood registering eight points, including two from play. The latter scores came in quick succession and opened up a 0-15 to 1-10 lead for his side by the 53rd minute.

After falling further behind, Boardsmill rallied, with the sun at their backs but playing into a slight breeze. Three pointed Niall Weir frees levelled matters for the seventh and final time by the 59th minute.

As Boardsmill passed up two further scoring chances (including one from a long range Niall Weir free), Longwood sealed a merited win with points from Ryan Moore and sub Coran Byrne.

Boardsmill were marginally more wasteful registering 11 wides to the winners nine and looked capable of making it three wins from three starts when leading by 1-9 to 0-9 after 41 minutes but were outscored by 0-4 to 0-9 over the final third of the fixture.

Nominally a corner-forward Longwood deployed Mickey Burke in a sweeping role behind midfield. His 'marker' Jim Bird tailed the county footballer and got the better of the duel until the latter stages and set up a number of scores for Boardsmill.

However, Burke's 45th minute point from midfield heralded Longwood's final quarter surge and he provided a few assists to propel his side to the winning post.

Longwood lost full-back Ray Dorran and corner-forward Aaran Ennis to injury in the opening 25 minutes. Long-serving Mick Healy put in a 20-minute stint before being replaced by Coran Byrne for the final quarter. The latter capped an industrious quarter-hour cameo with a brace of fine points from play.

Unusually, the breeze was blowing from the town end and favoured Boardsmill in the first-half. The scores were level five times in the first 27 minutes while Longwood were only in arrears once in that time, after Weir's second minute point from play.

Longwood looked set to lead at the break but Cathal Flattery's stoppage-time goal from close range following Charlie Bird's sideline cut left Boardsmill 1-6 to 0-7 ahead at the interval.

Despite leaking the first score of the second-half - an Eoin Lynch effort - Boardsmill shaded the third quarter, moving three points clear, 1-9 to 0-9, by the 41st minute following a Weir free.

Even though Boardsmill didn't fall into arrears again until the 51st minute, Longwood had the momentum and the economy to seal a second win of their campaign.

Longwood seemed content to take their points rather than chase goals. Despite managing one green flag, Boardsmill were unable to register a second.

Longwood - Alan Ennis; Nathan O'Neill, Ray Dorran, Chris Lynch; Darragh Maguire, Joe Stenson, John Furey; Eoin Lynch (0-2), Damien Healy (0-1); Ryan Moore (0-1), Karl Ennis (0-2),Sean Sheridan (0-1); Aaron Ennis, Anthony Healy (0-8, 5fs, 1 65), Michael Burke (0-1). Subs - Damien Dixon for Aaron Ennis (22), Mick Healy for Dorran (26), Coran Byrne (0-2) for M Healy (44), Ross Healy for Maguire (53)

Boardsmill - Sean Dixon; Liam O'Brien, Neil McLoughlan, Jim Bird; Kyle Dixon, David Farrell, Ray Hatton (0-1); Niall Weir (0-7, 0-6fs), Eoin Corrigan; Cathal Flattery (1-1), Thomas Leonard (0-2), Charlie Bird; Bernard McLoughlin, Donal Flattery, Enda Dixon (0-1). Subs - Subs - Thomas Reilly (0-1) for D Flattery (ht), Paudie Guy for McLoughlin (53).

Referee - Donal Smyth (Navan O'Mahonys) Tweet

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