Here it is. Enjoy.
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Here it is. Enjoy.
Longford Town 3-1 Derry City
Friday, 9 November 2007 22:52
Longford Town started their top-flight life with a one-nil victory against Derry City 8 seasons ago. How ironic, therefore, that an emphatic 3-1 triumph against the same opposition should end their time in the major league.
For the home side there is the consolation of a cup final appearance against Cork City next month will ease the pain but, alas, the deduction of 6 league points for off field irregularities remains the main reason why Longford make the drop.
Longford had a couple of early chances to settle their undoubted nerves. Dessie Baker and Dave Mooney should have done better with glorious opportunities inside the opening 6 minutes.
Derry weren't lying down either. Pat McCourt was inches away from opening the scoring for them in the 11th minute while a defensive mix up almost handed Killian Brennan a gift goal just 4 minutes later.
Derry proceeded to dominate possession for long periods before half time. Kevin McHugh was a whisker away in the 31st minute while David McDaid was denied by a superb Shay Kelly save soon after.
Derry hit the front in the 43rd minute. Pat McCourt was superb in the build up and his perfect cross left the simplest of tap-ins for David McDaid.
However, this setback seemed to energise the home side. And they grabbed a superb equaliser in first half injury time. Gary Deegan Played Baker in behind the Candystripes defence and his cross was brilliantly despatched by Mooney.
The midland outfit upped the tempo in the early stages of the second half. Mooney was booked for diving inside 5 minutes of the restart as Longford were relentless going forward.
They should have hit the front soon after. However, Jamie Duffy's strike came back off the post before being eventually cleared by a relieved Derry defence.
Longford were in front after 72 minutes. Baker was brought to ground inside the penalty area by Killian Brennan and Mooney, the league's top scorer, proceeded to smash home his 18th goal of the season from the spot.
Killian Brennan was dismissed for the foul and this allowed Longford to totally dominate the remaining minutes.
Mooney twice went close to grabbing his hat-trick before eventually crowning his night by completing a terrific hat-trick two minutes from time.
However, despite having the league's top striker in their side, Longford will ply their trade in the first division next season.
Longford Town: Kelly; Sullivan (Ryan 89), Brennan, Doherty, Prunty; Duffy, Deegan, Doyle (James 68), Martin; Mooney, Baker.
Derry City: Jennings; McCallion, Oman, Hutton, Hargan (Harkin 89); McDaid (Deery 75), Molloy, Martyn, Brennan; McHugh, McCourt.
Referee: M. Gough (Dublin).
Matthews out!
I hope he gets the ****ing sack before the cup final. Disgrace in the bar tonight.
What happened?
Sour ****ing loser. Saying one thing till it was certain we were down, then changing his tune..."we're all right jack, the players are sorted for clubs...I'm not a first division manager...good luck in the first division, *******s" was the jist of his bull****. Went down in a lot of peoples estimation tonight.
Fair play for what he did on the pitch but he shat on a lot of people that give their lives to the club tonight.
What is your comprehension of this season. I'm sorry I asked about the bar. I felt something may happen tonight. Obviously, tempers were high, and you can appreciate that surely?
It was pretty s1tty alright. Neither the time or the place for it. Saying these guys arent first divsion players and the best of luck to them at their new clubs!! You dont say that as for mooney saying good luck too I thought it summed up a wretched night to be honest.
im afraid ill have to totally disagree with you there nipper..i thought he spoke very well and it was very moving..how wud u feel if u and all your players had put in relentless amounts of work on the training ground all year and have all that shattered by a crowd of incompetent bas***ds in the admin side of the club...its them u should be having your rant at
Unlucky lads, I honestly thought ye'd survive:(.
Brennan was interviewed on RTE radio last night and it sounded like himself and most of the squad will be leaving.
Agree with you on this. Its all FAI this and FAI that.....too much messing around in the backrooms!Quote:
Originally Posted by RockofGibraltar
Yup the people who cost us the six points are the ones who I would be ****ed off at. Lots of cloak and daggers stuff from them.
I heard what matthews said too. he had a tone of resignation bout the whole thing plus as well he put in a putdown at the admin side of the club for putting us down in the first place. cant really blame matthews blame the adminsirators they have to be full time not part time.
He was on NewsTalk there a little while ago. Didn't exactly sound like he was full of love for the club......"my contract with this club is up after the Cup match".....
If the crowd that turned up last night had been there throughout the season we would probably have stayed up.
Longford doesn't deserve a Premier Division club.
Surely the Board are to blame. They caused the problems that led to the ponts deduction and ultimately that is what cost yez. Matthews made this point last night on TV3. A terrible truth to face.
Commiserations again lads. It's unfair on the fans and the players.
Best team ever to be relegated. Tough luck lads, but go for it next year.
you dont know much about football do you :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by Nipper
The extra revenue would have made it easier for the admin people to do their jobs rather than racing around town trying to scrape together wages every week. Where do you think the money comes from? The crowds were disgustingly bad even when the comeback was in full flow.
You don't know much about running a club, do you?
Is that you Jim?
Ha no, but I do know the work (a very, very small amount of) people do so that there is a team fielded every week.
Really? I always assumed the money came from the magic fairy down the back of section z
i cant believe its been eight seasons.:eek:
well done to alan and the lads for an amazing fightback.:)
boooooooooooo to the shower of clowns who relegated us.(the feckin committee) :mad:
8 seasons in the Premier is an astonishing achievement for a club our size. Thanks to all the managers from Kenny to Mathews. Its been fun. Hope our exile from the Premier isnt too long.
Totally disagree with Nipper's view of Matthews.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nipper
I was @ the end of season presentations and heard what Matthews had to say.Look,Matthews is a realist and speaks from the heart and although his sentiments might hurt,it is the truth.
The man could easily have left but he showed loyalty and managerial skill in compiling a team with limited resources to compete with heart and passion.His belief,planning and professionalism was not matched off the field and Matthews was fully right to let his opinions be known and i agree with him fully.
His achievements go beyond anything any town fan contemplated when he began and the least he deserves is the respect to voice his opinion.
If what Matthews said in the club house was what he said on Newstalk, then what exactly did he say wrong? The team would've been comfortably up without 6 points gone, showing that it is of premier standard. His contract is up (and the outraged folk are not doubt largely made up of those that have been after his head for years anyway) and we won't keep premier standard players in the first - not that we could afford it anyway.
2 points for each offence wasn't it? We'd be in a playoff if even one of those had been avoided.
Didn't hear what he said on newstalk macy but i'd say he said something similar.
He didn't actually say anything wrong so i'm not sure what all the fuss is about.
It's only natural for a team that is relegated to lose most of its players.The town have profited from the downfalls of clubs in the past. ie Dave freeman (Dublin city) Dave Mooney (Shamrock Rovers)Happens is every league in the world.The fans in the clubhouse hardly expected the likes of Mooney,Suli,Brennan,Prunty and Deego to ply their trade in the first division?
In relation to mooney's speech mentioned earlier on in the thread.Give the lad a break.He just after coming off the field after a HATRICK and 19 goals this season!!!He doesn't have the luxury of an on hand PR consultant to co-ordinate and instruct him what to say before every public speech.Like every good young player Mooney is ambitious and the comment was just a slip of the tongue.
Points deduction did kill us in the end.Why was there not more made about retrieving @ least some of them back?2 was all we needed in the end.They appealed the 9 point avery john registration deduction back in 2002 and won.Why the lack of fight this time round??The club just seemed to take it on the chin.
Ok, I'll admit I went slightly overboard on the Matthews issue. Was writing after about 10pints on one of the worst nights, if not the worst in our history. The thread title was enough to set me off.
Because we were bang to rights. Only so many times they were going to buy "dog ate my copy" type excuses.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mullogher
says in todays sun that the club are now going to try and get some of the points back. For gods sake why not look for them back before this. Heck give us one point back its all we need!
No worries nipper.We were all ****ed off on friday and after 10 pints i'm likely to go over the top too!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Nipper
If that's true they should be told to **** off. If there was any grounds for an appeal in the first place there would have been one.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sonic
YAYQuote:
Originally Posted by Sonic
I love the Eircom League :)
Welcome btw lads, you'll know you've hit the First Division when you arrive in Jackman Park :eek: :p
i know your keeper so i'll give him abuse......:D
Was in Flancare for the last match and enjoyed it except for the conquences
great grub in the bar after SDo full opf Chickenetc.could not wait for the speechifying
Where can i get a good map of Ireland for next season??
How many of those there friday will turn up next year i wonder. God knows that is the support that this club can potentially attract why not every week. We need to go for promotion next year I feel or we can forget about attracting anyone to flancare. The chant we all live in an empty flancare park will be all the more apt if we are struggling in division one. If they dont come out when we are struggling in the premier there wont be a cricket at games in the first. I think we should pull all the stops out to go for it. Its kind of the best year to go down with three going down next year anyway which we would probably be in so there is a window of opportunity there for us. If harps go up waterford will not very strong next year and Apart from maybe dundalk there is not a lot of quality there tbh. From the current team i can see reilly doyle james martin and dempsey definetly staying and hopefully deegan cause he is a young lad. We would in that scenario have a decent midfield to build a team around. Just a bit of optimism maybe amid the depression!!
Genuinely sorry to see Longford relegated & not just for the loss of an easier away trip either.
I spoke to a Blades supporter who went up for the friendly and thought ye played them off the park - friendly, I know, but an indication of what was possible in Flancare.
When you think that Bray survived in the top flight last season with, what was it, 18 points, it shows that for all the bitchin' and moanin' about it being a poor quality League this season ,it was fairly competitive and the points deduction screwed ye.
Good luck for the coming season - which definitely won't be easy.
The more I think about it, everyone needs to share the blame. The people of County Longford for not going to games, the last game against Derry was the only game to pay for itself. Surely if there was money these bills would have been paid?
We had opportunities through the season to stay up, I personally feel the last game against Waterford was a major let down, that should have been 3 points and there were other games there too for the taking