This Saturday at 5pm in Avant Money Pairc Sean MacDiarmada in Carrick-on-Shannon, Longford will take on Fermanagh in the Allianz National Hurling League Division 3B Final.
Fermanagh are the reigning Lory Meagher Cup Champions having beaten Cavan in last year’s final, and they topped this year’s league table winning all four of their matches to progress directly to Saturday’s final.
The Ernesiders defeated Cavan by ten points, Longford by two points, Lancashire by nineteen points, and Leitrim by two points.
Longford finished second in the table winning three of their matches, beating Lancashire by nine points, Leitrim by a point, and Cavan by eleven points.
Adrian Moran’s charges then produced an outstanding display to overcome Leitrim in last week’s semi-final at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park by a ten point margin, winning by 1-26 to 2-13.
The Ernesiders have won their last two encounters with the Midlanders. In last year’s Lory Meager Cup Semi-final, they emerged victorious by eight points, winning by 1-21 to 1-13. They also beat Longford by 1-10 to 0-11 in this year’s league clash at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.
Looking back at the league match between the two sides played on February 13th, Longford trailed by 1-10 to 0-05 at half-time with Fermanagh on top in all sectors.
However, Longford were a transformed side in the second-half, with the half-time substitutes Adam Quinn and Cathal Mullane instrumental in sparking a revival that almost produced a come-back victory.
Longford kept the Ulster side scoreless for the entire second-half while raising the white flag six times. Joe O’Brien (3 points), Paddy Lynam (2 points), and a point from Karl Murray reduced the deficit to just two points late on.
Indeed, Longford had chances to win the match in stoppage time, but some resolute defending from Rory Porteous, Ciaran Duffy, and Ryan Bogue kept Longford at bay.
Luca McCusker, Sean Corrigan, Daniel Teague and John Duffy all possess the ability to really test the Longford back-line.
Longford could start the same fifteen that so impressively beat Leitrim in the semi-final, but Niall Moran who was only fit enough for a late substitute appearance in that game will probably come back into the starting fifteen if fully fit.