Late Longford double stuns City in seven-goal thriller

By Donncha Noonan | Photo: Kevin Barry Dorney

After a satisfying derby win in the south-east last week, City were looking to continue their historic run as they returned home to host Longford Town. That was where the run ended though, as Longford edged out the league leaders 4-3 in an action-packed encounter.

With Chris N’sa’s work permit not being ready, Barry Robson chose to stick with the same side that beat Cobh last time out.

Wayne Grove made two changes to the team that beat UCD last week, with Cole Omorehiomwan and Daniel McKenna coming in for Jamie Egan and Sean Moore.

It only took ten minutes for the first action of the game to occur, and it went the way of the visitors. A slip ball from Dean Williams behind the City defence found the run of Daragh Murtagh, who barrelled into the box before being bundled over by Donal O’Connor. The referee pointed to the spot, and Dean Williams made no mistake in putting the ball into the bottom right corner to give his side an early lead.

Longford weren’t done there and came fractionally close to a second eight minutes later. An inviting corner was headed clear by Donal O’Connor, but only as far as Jake Hough at the edge of the box. He took the ball down and lined up a shot that cannoned off the post, off the back of Conor Brann and out for a corner.

Longford had City pinned back, and almost took advantage in the twenty-third minute. A lovely one-two between Murtagh and Hough resulted in the latter getting to the byline. His ball across was diverted away back to him, and his second attempt found Pharrell Manuel at the edge of the box, but his shot narrowly whistled past the top left corner.

Longford would be made to rue their missed chances as City got back level. A high clearance into midfield from the Longford defence fell to the feet of Cillian Murphy. He drove forward and danced through bodies before poking the ball into the bottom right corner to grab his side an equaliser.

That wouldn't last too much longer though as the visitors retook the lead on the stroke of half time. A loose pass from Niall O’Keeffe couldn't be handled by Fiacre Kelleher and allowed Pharrell Manuel to sprint away towards goal. He held off Conor Drinan and cut inside of Donal O’Connor before guiding the ball into the bottom left corner.

That was the end of a crazy first half which saw Longford head into the break a goal to the good against the runaway league leaders.

The second half proved to be just as full of moments, the first of which coming in the fifty-eighth minute. Conor Drinan rose highest to meet a Greg Bolger corner and sent a lovely guided header into the bottom right corner. Despite that, the linesman noticed that Hans Mpongo was blocking the view of goalkeeper Kian Moore from an offside position, meaning the referee disallowed the goal.

The hosts wouldn't have to wait long to make amends, as they levelled things for the second time in the seventieth minute. CIllian Murphy received the ball in the box and had quick feet before flicking the ball back to Josh Fitzpatrick. He sized up a defender before cutting inside and wrapping an unbelievable shot into the top left corner to grab his side’s second in an incredible manner.

City’s turnaround was complete two minutes later. Conor Drinan received the ball on the left hand side and got to the byline before cutting the ball across goal. It got to Hans Mpongo whose effort was cleared off the line, but only as far as Cillian Murphy, who fired the ball into the bottom right corner.

Murphy’s goal looked to have won it for City, but Daragh Murtagh had something to say about that in the eighty-sixth minute. Andy Paraschiv received the ball on the far left of the halfway line, and delivered a sublime ball over the City defence for the run of Murtagh, who volleyed the ball first time past David Odumosu to get Longford level late on.

The visitors weren’t done there though as they capped off an incredible affair with a late winner. It was Paraschiv again at the heart of things as he dinked a lovely ball over the City backline for Stefan Ugbesia, who took it down and slid the ball under Odumosu to grab all three points for his side.

And that was that as Longford came back from behind late on to snatch a well deserved win off a sluggish City side. City were really poor for the vast majority of the game, posing very little threat bar moments of brilliance from Josh Fitzpatrick and Cillian Murphy. As for the defence, they were equally as bad. Longford were able to cut City open far too many times, and for a team who were on a historic run, they let themselves down here.

My Man of the Match goes to Longford’s Andy Paraschiv. There were four or five Longford players worthy of the award, but I went with Paraschiv. He was instrumental in Longford's build up play from midfield and was pulling the strings all game long. He could warm it simply from his two assists at the end, both of which being unreal passes in behind the City backline.

City face Cardiff next in a friendly on Tuesday, before they face their biggest challenge yet in Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium. As for Longford, they have Baldoyle United in their way as they look to progress to the round of sixteen.