SHC Quarter Final:  Longwood 0-10  Kiltale 5-18

A bad day at the office.............it may be an overly simplistic summation of yesterday's defeat but how else do you explain the disparity between the teams at the full time whistle? Longwood's players, management and supporters know full well that yesterday's performance was not an accurate reflection of the team's ability; the players are significantly better than they showed in Páirc Tailteann.  We know this because they have demonstrated it all season - through a successful league campaign, going unbeaten through the championship group stages, displaying admirable consistency all the while.  Yet on the biggest day, their skill, first touch and scoring accuracy proved elusive...........a bad day at the office.

We must give credit where it's due.  While Longwood undoubtedly under-performed, Kiltale played like the champions that they are.  Four consecutive senior championships don't simply fall into your lap; it takes a lot of hard work, a strong panel and a level of skill and ability that other teams must aspire to.  Longwood have witnessed at first hand exactly what is required and there is no doubt our players will regroup and look to improve again next season.  Plying their trade in Division 1 of the league and Group A of the championship can only help the team's ongoing development.  But that is for another day.

Kiltale started quickly, registering the opening score with a point from play after just 19 seconds.  We didn't know it at the time but it turned out to be a portent of what was to follow.  After six minutes, the lead was out to 4 points.  In fairness, Longwood did create a number of chances but they seemed to snatch at the opportunities, clocking up a number of early wides.  Anthony Healy, who displayed his usual proficiency from frees, opened Longwood's account after eight minutes.  A monster point from 80 metres from Damien Healy looked as though it would ignite Longwood; in truth this only served to spur Kiltale into action and in a four minute spell midway through the half, they bagged 2-2 without replay.  Longwood were now in serious trouble and the halftime break could not come soon enough.

Halftime: Longwood 0-5 Kiltale 2-9

Longwood's supporters may have found some solace in the fact that the team were in a similar position at half time in the 2013 SHC semi-final against the same opposition.  On that particular day Longwood produced an amazing second half performance to overhaul an 11 point deficit and advance to the final. It's important to note that was the last time Kiltale suffered defeat in the knockout stages of the championship.  Could history repeat itself?

Well the early signs looked positive.  Longwood started the second half strongly, securing the opening three points to reduce the deficit to seven.  At a time when the boys needed to build momentum, the game became fractured with a lot of stop-start incidents.  The referee became a more central figure, issuing a number of cards and consulting with umpires and linesmen on a number of occasions.  Longwood fared worse accruing 5 yellow and 2 red cards to Kiltale's 1 yellow and 1 red.  

It would, however, be churlish to suggest that the sendings off had a major impact on the result.  Kiltale were the better team from the outset and they fully deserved their victory.  They drove home their numerical advantage in the final 10 minutes tacking on another 2-3 to give the scoreboard a distinctly one-sided look.

Longwood battled manfully to the final whistle with a pair of Anthony Healy frees ensuring their points tally reached double digits.  

Longwood: Mick Healy, Paul Gill, Chris Lynch, Enda Dixon, Joey Stenson, Mickey Burke, Ryan Moore (0-1), Bob Maguire, Karl Ennis (0-1), Damien Healy (0-1), Eoin Lynch, Coran Byrne, Aaron Ennis, Anthony Healy (0-7), Sean Sheridan.  Subs: Ross Kerrigan for Maguire, Keith Masterson for Ennis, Thomas Coloe for Moore.

So the curtain comes down on the senior hurling championship.  A championship where Longwood played 6 matches; winning 4, drawing 1 and losing 1.  Championship hurling can be a cruel business, regardless of how well you perform in the earlier rounds, if you lose your last game it is rather harshly deemed to be a failure.

While yesterday was disappointing, we must remember there were some excellent performances along the way.  The progress of some of our younger players - Paul Gill, Niall Mulvey, Ross Kerrigan and Thomas Coloe to name but a few - gives much to be positive about as we look to the future.  We can rest safe in the knowledge that our senior players will bring out the best in these lads in the years ahead.  

We thank all the players and management team for all they have given for Longwood so far this season.  They have sacrificed much for the glory of club and parish.

The good news is that both our Intermediate and Junior D footballers have championship quarter finals to look forward to.  Their is no time to mull over yesterday's defeat.  All eyes are now firmly fixed on Summerhill next Saturday afternoon when we take on Trim in the IFC quarter finals.  What better way to flush yesterday's game out of the system?

In the meantime all Longwood supporters should make their way to Dunganny on Wednesday evening where our U14 footballers will take on Moynalvey in the championship final.

Forget about yesterday.............the future for Longwood still looks bright.

Maigh Dearmhaí abú !!