Josh Giurgi now unlisted in FAI Connect. We'll always have those goals against Kerry he was fond of
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Josh Giurgi now unlisted in FAI Connect. We'll always have those goals against Kerry he was fond of
Disappointing to let the 2 goal lead slip, but probably a fair result overall. Longford in total control the first half, Wexford the second. And the lads did good to hold out as long as they did.
Sitting on 29 points now, same as last season but with 7 games to improve on it. Hopefully get to mid 30s at least to finish out the season
Said it here before, no idea why there's such secrecy around incomings and outgoings. As for tonight, one hell of a game. I didn't actually think we played that well first half, was more a case of Wexford being absolutely stink. Second half their left winger destroyed us, he effectively turns the game by winning a penalty and getting a man sent off. We did well to hold on after that even though it was three points we really needed. Simply have to win Friday nowQuote:
Originally Posted by MoydowMonty
Left winger destroyed because Yoro is a poor player. Got caught there time and time again.
I would have fancied getting 4 points from those last 2 games, but all we got is 1. We'll soon be coming up against the top 4 and won't be fancying ourselves against them, so we really need some points off Harps. We don't get Athlone till the final day
Sounds old fashioned but someone really needed to smash the winger last night, the fact we kept letting him get 1 v 1 against players he'd already proven he could beat was crazyQuote:
Originally Posted by MoydowMonty
2nd from bottom and still dreaming of promotion, you gotta love the GLITW.
Okay, last week our slims hopes vanished when blowing a two goal load against Wexford. Tonight is a test for manager and the squad, are we up enough to challenge Harps who are very much in the mix for the last play off place, can we upset their plans and keep our very slim hopes of 5th alive?
Anyone still saying the playoff dream is on needs to have their head checked. Too inconsistent to make that run and we still have to play the top 4. Of the remaining 7 games I'd say the max we can hope to pick up is 10 points, and I'd take 6 of those if you offered it to me.
I didn't even cop how good a form harps are on. Even more difficult game tonight than I first realised
Was thinking by the end we should be winning that game, but then Harps missed 2 big chances in the final minute and suddenly i was happy to take a point. Good effort tonight, bit too much sloppiness letting us down.
I want to talk about Manny. I'll be utterly sour if he ends up leaving because of how little he's playing. And I wouldn't blame him one bit. But if he knows where the net is, is local and fans love him yet is missing out on training because it's too far away which in turn means he misses gametime, then I'm sorry but something is seriously wrong there. Bringing him on against Shams with 30secs of time to go was a massive p1sstake I thought. We should be pulling out all the stops to keep him next year. He also has 5 goals in f**k all gametime. He should be getting more than a few minutes cameos, and he showed that tonight
I thought that was an absolutely woeful performance tonight.
Harsh. Compared to some of the sh1te we've been served up with hammerings, tonight was far better. Had our spells where we genuinely put them under pressure. As did they in fairness. But it wasn't woeful
Thought it was a dreadful game and I thought Longford were terrible too.
It was woeful. We have to eventually get past the "oh they worked their socks off" element every week, that's the bare minimum that should be expected.Quote:
Originally Posted by MoydowMonty
We are not leaning from our mistakes defensively, conceding crazy goals in recent months. We put them under pressure for a few minutes after the equalizer but beyond that they hit the woodwork three times.
How many times did we swipe and hack at the ball tonight and present it straight to them. Basic passes going all over the shop, they weren't much better by the way but they did shade both halves. It was a truly awful game and had we not got the late goal we'd all be on here calling it out for what it was, a terrible performance.
We are just about still alive in the play off race after tonight that's the only good news but we'd have to pull out some truly remarkable results in the next few weeks for that to be true.
Lol I dunno then, me and a friend both enjoyed it, and we've seen the same sh1te this season. The lowest low for me was that 1-1 against Cobh. That was woeful, and tonight was certainly better than that, but expectations are probably that low right now.
I do agree that those stupid mistakes giving the ball away and constantly giving it back to teams does get tiring. And forget about the playoffs, Treaty pulled 2 ponts ahead after their win, it's not happening. We now have more points than last season, the aim should be to get to mid 30s with a couple more wins and end on somewhat of a high. Playing for pride now, nothing else
What is the issue with missing training, I doubt its where it is more about when and how he gets to it. Is it to do with transport, work or college?Quote:
Originally Posted by MoydowMonty
That I don't know. My guess is he's still based in Longford or somewhere nearby and it's awkward to get all the way up to St Francis to train. Depending on whether he's working or in education that's another factor added in.Quote:
Originally Posted by LTFC
But the man now has as many goals as Murtagh and played a fraction of the time. I understand not starting him if he's missing training, but to me he has enough credit in the bank to be deserving of more than a few minutes off the bench.
We absolutely can't lose him. That would just sour a lot of fans.
I think, and I could be wrong, that he got a promotion or a new position or something along those lines and the hours clash with training, plus trying to get to Dublin as pointed out above. Murtagh is an excellent young player, I've no issue with him leading the line but fully agree Manny should be getting on much earlier in games.
Yeah Murtagh has earned his starting position in fairness to him. Would just love to see Manny flourish more. I'd also love to try to 2 of them up front together, it often feels like Murtagh is left alone up there to do too much
Just on Manny, if hes on amateur con then not much you can do. If hes on a pro con, likely very small as is, unlikely we could offer much more so no advantage to the young lad in signing for anything more than 1 year at a time.
I just want to say I think it's absolutely amazing news that the club is launching a senior women's team. My sister was an incredible soccer player and came up at a time when there were only 1 or 2 girls teams in Longford, they had to play against the boys every week, was no bother to her, they'd often lose 7-3 with her bagging the hat trick, it really improved the girls playing against boys. There were some really really good players in Longford at that time but they pretty much all ended up choosing GAA after the age of 16 as there were no girls teams at that age group. She ended up winning an AI medal in Croker with Longford but I often think of the amount of talent that was lost.
It's been brilliant to see us launch U17/u19 teams and we've already had a player capped at international level.
It's incredible to think of the amount of teams we know have within one club, it's probably a big factor in the first team budget being so small compared to the past.
Given we now have so many families that have a connection with the club, we really should be aiming to increase attendances significantly.
It's absolutely a welcome announcement but as you've pointed out it's now very expensive to be a LOI club. Correctly so as the top level of football in the country, but people need to be aware of how much money the club needs each year just to stay afloat. I have major concerns about the sustainability of LOI football in Longford.
You'd have to take it as a positive though that the board have pushed ahead with expanding the Women's side of the club. Surely they don't do that if any key stakeholders are thinking of walking away?Quote:
Originally Posted by Longfordian
Is it senior? Thought it said u-23, which reads like academy talk to me.
Regardless, as good as it is I too have concerns over how viable this is. Its become very clear the last 3 years how challenging it is to run the senior mens team, very much living within their means. I don't see how they can juggle a second senior team. I just hope they've done their planning, crunched the numbers and determined it'll be sustainable
It's actually easier for a small club to be competitive at a national level in the women's game as Athlone have shown. But is there sufficient local interest to support it given how difficult it is to get crowds out to the men's games?Quote:
Originally Posted by outspoken
It is effectively a Women's First Division, as the ten new senior clubs will join the twelve underage teams in regional sections, even if there will be no promotion or relegation for the first season. In practical terms, though, many of the new sides will themselves be mainly youth squads, as Kerry had been preparing to enter the U19 League, and the same was presumably true of Longford?Quote:
Originally Posted by MoydowMonty
Yes, perhaps I've oversold it describing it as a senior team but it's effecivetly a senior league and there will eventually be promotion to the WPD so tomato tomato eh?Quote:
Originally Posted by culloty82
Really great performance tonight by the Town. Terrific heart and grit and as well as some very good football. Sweet.
Terrific win, couple of lovely goals. And there's 2 very winnable games left from the last 4. I'd love to end on a high and get close to 40 points and come 7th or that.
I predicted a bottom place finish at the start of the season. That's not mathematically possible now and Athlone won't catch us either. That's a win in itself
What a game that was. Amazing that we looked the more threatening side after going down to ten. Doran, O'Brien and Ugbesia sensational. Big shout out to Hand and Egan as well, brilliant to see them celebrating at the end, they've been through so much bad stuff in the last few years injury wise
Reminded me of the last time we beat Dundalk in 2021 when we went down to 10 men then 9 men, and we still looked the better team that night too.
Pity that Cobh f**ked up and that this result means nothing for the title race, would have loved to derail Dundalk's season with that win.
Got to start nailing down the likes of Doran for next season now..
I hope to God Doran stays, our player of the year imo. But I can just see Cork City coming down and swooping in for lads who will do a job in the first division, just like they did 2 years ago, and just like Dundalk did this year. And Doran would certainly do a job for them. I assume he's from Wexford, maybe they'd trmpt him back for a 2nd stint. Hope I'm just talking sh1te. He's some player though, not just his goal contributions, he works his arse off
Doran was really good last night, getting into pockets of space, retaining possession and creating opportunities. Would love to keep him for next season.
While I dont have any clue how we are off the field, Wayne should be manager unless he decides to leave so he would be asking now about budgets for 2026 to try and keep lads.
For my first game of the season it was some win. That squad we have seems to have come on in leaps and bounds since last season. Very impressed with young OBrien. Our defending was superb in the second half. Great to be back!
Wayne Groves confirmed as manager for next season. Well deserved extension.
I have a lot of respect for Wayne. I don't know him personally but its hard not to respect his backstory -> https://www.thesun.ie/sport/14680459...-wayne-groves/ (sorry the story is in that rag).Quote:
Originally Posted by Longfordian
Also, the smartest thing in the world would have been to walk away when Hendo left, but he has stuck around and developed a lot of young players in the last two years.
Hard to see Doran not getting snapped up! He is a serious talent - some engine on him.Quote:
Originally Posted by MoydowMonty
He has had his critics, including myself, but facts are we've improved over last season and comfortably away from 10th place. So yep, he deserves another lash at it. First thing he should do now is give Doran an 8 year contract.
He mentioned about getting the club back to the premier division, certainly talking a big game there
After the highs of last week we are into final stretch with 4 games left, startiing with Bray tonight.
These are 4 tough games to finish with, Bray, Treaty, Cobh and Athlone with Cobh the only home game. I would like to finish 1 place higher but I think 8th is best we can hope for.
Another great result. Finishing strong, hopefully a good sign for next year.
That is some going, following up last weeks win with another tonight! Fantastic.