Longwood 1-6  Cortown 0-5

Despite missing a few regulars due to a wedding overseas, Longwood had just enough to see off a robust Cortown challenge at on Saturday last. Played on a pitch that had areas re-sodded in the past week, conditions underfoot were challenging but both teams adapted to produce an exciting encounter.

Cortown, as expected, brought their trademark physicality to the game with some tenacious tackling and were winning the exchanges in most areas of the pitch. They broke forward to pick off some good scores from play to lead by 0-3 to 0-0 midway through the first half. Longwood came back into it in the 5 minutes before half time however with a free and point from play from Anthony Healy and another free from a difficult angle from Wayne Leonard.

In the second half, Longwood began to move the ball much quicker and more accurately and this began to open up the game somewhat. The move of the game saw Paul Gill make an 80 yard run to pick up a defence splitting pass. He laid of to substitute Gavin Griffith who finished low to the net. David Rowley picked up another point from play to leave Longwood 4 up with 5 minutes to play.

A point blank save at that stage by Longwood goalkeeper Darragh Maguire, which he followed minutes later by a spectacular penalty save ensured Longwood would cling on to take the two points.

Longood: Darragh Maguire, Paul Gill, Chris Lynch, Johnny Furey, Corran Byrne, Eoin Lynch, Bob Maguire, Damien Healy, Anthony Healy (0-02), Joey Stenson, Niall Mulvey, Evan Coyle (0-01), Ross Kerrigan, Wayne Leonard (0-01), Dean Keogh

Subs: Gavin Griffith (1-01) for Ross Kerrigan, David Rowley (0-01) for Dean Keogh, David McQuaid for Eoin Lynch, Ross Kerrigan for Chris Lynch (BC)