Late goal condemns Salthill Devon to seventh straight league defeat
Date Published: {J}
Salthill Devon, who competed well in this scrappy yet entertaining affair, will feel deflated after a late defensive error allowed Longford to snatch all three points at a windswept Drom on Saturday night.
Longford settled first and applied pressure on the home rearguard with a sequence of long balls, leading to two corners in quick succession, the second of which culminated in a goal-line clearance by Salthill midfielder Eugene Greaney.
Salthill soaked up the early pressure and in the eighth minute were awarded a spot-kick after the lively Enda Dunne was adjudged to have been brought down just inside the box by Graham Dowling. The resulting penalty was missed, Devon striker Victor Collins sending a poor effort sent wide of the right post.
Collins had a chance to make amends on 16 minutes, after a neat exchange between Dunne and Ray Winters lead to a deflected cross from the left to land at his feet in the box, only for him to blast over from five yards.
Although conditions were bad, Longford endeavoured to play the ball on the floor, and a weighted pass by Austin Skelly put the pacey Don Cowan through on goal with only Forde to beat, but after rounding the keeper Cowan could only rattle the side netting.
A half an hour in, with the floodlights on, Longford had a free kick from a potentially dangerous position. Greaney, again, charged down Walsh’s attempt.
Keith Gillespie, anonymous for the opening period, nearly broke the deadlock after 35 minutes with a wonderful volley from outside the box, only for it to fly past Forde's left upright – returning to anonymity thereafter.
A physical exchange between Devon’s Paddy Quinlan and Longford’s Cowan gave referee Keith Callanan no choice but to produce the game’s first booking. The resulting free kick, by the busy Skelly, attempted to catch the ‘keeper off guard at his near post, but the Forde was alert to the danger and saved well.
The second half started vibrantly, and Devon’s Enda Dunne was involved in neat exchanges with Ray Winters, resulting in a dangerous cross which was subsequently hoofed away by the dogged Longford defence.
Longford should have taken the lead on the hour when Skelly’s venomous strike was acrobatically saved by Forde, leading to Greaney clearing the lines once again. The combative Devon midfielder displayed courage and desire in abundance. Salthill’s captain James Whelan hobbled off to be replaced by Irish underage international Colm Horgan on 64 minutes.
For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.