Glorious Abbeylara crowned the Longford champions for the first ...

Abbeylara . . . 2-10    Colmcille . . . 1-7

After Extra-Time 

The appointment of the former Roscommon star Frankie Dolan as the new manager this season has proved to be a master stroke and glorious Abbeylara can now look forward to a return to Leinster Club action with a tough away task against the Louth 3-in-a-row champions St Mary’s Ardee on Sunday November 3. 

That adventure into bonus territory was achieved with a fierce will-to-win in the county final replay in miserable wet and windy conditions at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Saturday and it was indeed fitting that Robbie Smyth ended up with the Fr McGee trophy for the prestigious man of the match award.

Resilient Robbie, the saviour with a couple of late, late points in the drawn encounter, clocked up a total of 1-4 and his goal came at a crucial stage in the replay just after the Colmcille target man Fergal Sheridan had planted the ball in the back of the net in the 47th minute to leave his side leading by 1-6 to 0-6 and seemingly in a strong position. 

When Abbeylara hit the front (1-7 to 1-6) for the first time in the 55th minute after Smyth converted a free for a foul on his fellow joint captain Cian Brady, it looked like remaining that way in normal time but the influential Declan Reilly created the opening for the roving goalkeeper Noel Farrell to land the equalising point in the second minute of stoppage time. 

And thus another stalemate materialised but resolute Abbey were in no  mood to suffer some more final heartbreak and inspired by a couple of cracking points from the vastly experienced Colm P Smyth (surely a close contender for the man of the match honour), a third senior football championship triumph was eventually delivered by the so committed current squad.  

Robbie Smyth was also bang on target when he shot over the bar in extra-time and as it turned out Colmcille failed to register a score in the additional period that settled the issue despite a determined bid by the 2022 champions to engineer a dramatic equalising goal. 

While Abbeylara ended up with 14 players on the pitch after Robbie Smyth was dismissed for a second yellow card offence close to the final whistle, there was still time for substitute Reece Reilly to direct the ball into the empty net to seal a memorable victory that ignited jubilant scenes for the success starved supporters of the new kings of Longford football.  

ABBEYLARA: Gavin Kelly; Michael McHugh, PJ Masterson, Russell Brady; Cian Brady, Bryan Masterson, Colm P Smyth (0-2); Fergal Battrim, Ciaran Scanlon (0-1, free); Colin Gilna, Jason Kelly (0-2), Caolan Lynch (0-1); Robbie Smyth (1-4, 2 frees), Cathal Gilligan, Padraig Berry.

Subs:- Nigel Rabbitt for P Berry (half-time); Conor Berry for C Gilna (45 mins); Shane Mahon for C Gilligan (53 mins); Reece Reilly (1-0) for J Kelly (60 mins).

Extra-time:- C Gilligan for C Berry (10 mins).   

COLMCILLE: Noel Farrell (0-1); Gerard Mulligan, Enda Macken, Conor Grant; Ruairi Harkin (0-1), Declan Reilly, Dylan McCabe; Vinny Hourican, Fergal Sheridan (1-0); Martin Mulligan, Jack Macken (0-2, 1 free), Cathal McCabe; Cathal Reilly (0-1), Paul McKeon, Barry McKeon (0-2).

Subs:- Eoin Hawkins for Paul McKeon (45 mins); Philip McKeon for G Mulligan (57 mins); Shaun McKeon for R Harkin (57 mins).

Extra-time:- Shea Farley for C McCabe (9 mins); Paul McKeon for D McCabe (half-time); R Harkin for B McKeon (16 mins). 

Referee: John Cullen (Mostrim).