This Saturday at 2.30pm, Longford host Leitrim in the Allianz National Hurling League Division 3B Semi-final at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.
The winners will face table toppers Fermanagh in the final the following weekend.
Fermanagh won all of their four league games including narrow 2-point victories over both Longford and Leitrim to qualify automatically for the final.
Longford finished second after the League phase winning three of their four matches, and it was their 1-point win over third placed Leitrim at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park that has secured home advantage in this winner takes all clash.
Looking back at that league win for Adrian Moran’s charges, a brilliant first-half finish that saw Longford outscore Leitrim by 1-04 to 0-01(Cathal Mullane with the goal) proved to be the crucial turning point, as it helped Longford to overturn a 4-point deficit to lead by a 2-point margin at half-time.
The game was level when Liam Moreton equalised for Leitrim in the sixty-fifth minute but Longford midfielder Paddy Lynam slotted over the winning point from a free two minutes later.
Leitrim will be looking to the likes of commanding centre-half back Karl McDermott, industrious midfielder Martin Feeney and forward Joe Murray, who scored 1-11 against Fermanagh, to lead them to a place in the final.
Longford should welcome back into the starting fifteen, centre-half back David Buckley, Captain Johnny Casey, and talismanic forward Joe O’Brien, after they have all recovered from injuries.
However, forward Micheal Mulcahy and corner-back Niall Moran are doubtful for the home side.