Abbeylara 2-10 Colmcille 1-07 (AET)
Robbie Smyth scored 1-04 as Abbeylara won the Longford SFC title for the first time since 2006, defeating Colmcille.
After the hurt of losing four finals in a row Smyth (who was joint-captain) led by example and put in a player of the match performance. Though he was sent off at the end of extra-time for a second yellow card.
Credit to both teams for the football they produced despite the lashing rain for most of normal time.
Both defences were on top in the opening 10 minutes. Colmcille captain Barry McKeon got the first score of the game in the ninth minute. He followed that up with a point from a tight angle before a free from Jack Macken gave Colmcille a three point lead after 12 minutes.
A pointed free from Robbie Smyth was Abbeylara's first point of the game. Jason Kelly followed up with a point to cut the gap to one point in the 16th minute.
As the rain lashed down both sides struggled to get scores. Ruairi Harkin got a point for Colmcille in the 27th minute; their first in 15 minutes. Smyth replied with a great point for Abbey. Cathal Reilly fired over a neat score to give Colmcille a two point lead going in at the break - 0-05 to 0-03.
Points from Caolan Lynch and a Ciaran Scanlon free in the 33rd minute saw the sides level for the first time. There was a swirling wind in the second half and Colmcille kicked two wides before Macken kicked over his second point in the 42nd minute.
Kelly levelled for Abbey in the 45th minute but two minutes later Colmcille got the goal; good work from substitute Eoin Hawkins ended with Fergal Sheridan finding the net from a tight angle.
Abbey’s response was terrific; substitute Connor Berry set his first cousin Smyth up and he fired a powerful shot to the net. The sides were level for a third time and the game was evenly poised entering the final 10 minutes.
A pointed free from Smyth in the 55th minute put Abbey ahead for the first time in the game. In the second minute of stoppage time Colmcille keeper Noel Farrell got up to fire over the bar to bring the game to extra-time.
Colm P Smyth and Robbie Smyth gave Abbey a two point lead in the 67th minute as Frankie Dolan’s charges started extra-time well.
The lead was stretched to three in the 72nd minute when Colm P Smyth got up to grab his second point. Substitute Reece Reilly sealed the win with a goal right at the end.
Abbeylara: Gavin Kelly; Michael McHugh, PJ Masterson, Russell Brady; Cian Brady, Bryan Masterson, Colm P Smyth (0-02); Fergal Battrim, Ciaran Scanlon (0-01f); Colin Gilna, Jason Kelly (0-02), Caolan Lynch (0-01f); Robbie Smyth (1-04, 2fs), Cathal Gilligan, Padraig Berry.
Subs: Nigel Rabbitt for Berry (ht), Connor Berry for Gilna (45), Shane Mahon for Gilligan (53), Reece Reilly (1-00) for Kelly (60), Gilligan for Berry (70+1)
Colmcille: Noel Farrell; Gerard Mulligan, Enda Macken, Conor Grant; Ruairi Harkin (0-01), Declan Reilly, Martin Mulligan; Vinny Hourican, Fergal Sheridan (1-00); Dylan McCabe, Jack Macken (0-02, 1f), Cathal McCabe; Cathal Reilly (0-01), Paul McKeon, Barry McKeon (0-02).
Subs: Eoin Hawkins for P McKeon (46), Philip McKeon for G Mulligan and Shaun McKeon for Harkin (57), Shea Farley for C McCabe (70), Paul Keon for D McCabe (71), Harkin for B McKeon (76)
Referee: John Cullen (Mostrim)
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