- This event has passed.

January 26, 2025 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Glennon Brothers Pearse Park Longford
Longford and Limerick played out a 2-12 to 1-15 draw in Round 1 of the Allianz Football League Division 4 on Sunday January 26th at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, Longford.
Late Matthew Carey two-pointer gets Longford draw against Limerick https://t.co/RLD8RZFqCJ
— Irish Examiner Sport (@ExaminerSport) January 26, 2025
Late Matthew Carey two-pointer gets Longford draw against Limerick
Report by Deniese O’Flaherty for the Irixh Examiner newspaper
AFL Division 4: Longford 2-12 (2-2-8) Limerick 1-15 (1-0-15)
A two point free from the boot of debutant Matthew Carey earned Longford a share of the spoils against Limerick at a wet and miserable Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.
Limerick were the better side for a lot of the game and dominated possession but will rue missed chances.
Longford were on top in the opening quarter. Dylan Farrell kicked over the opening score in the fourth minute; a pointed free after he was fouled. James Naughton cancelled that out with a point for the visitors in the seventh minute.
Carey fired over a free in the 11th minute before Oran Kenny found the back of the net twice in the space of two minutes; two fine finishes from the Rathcline clubman. The home side were ahead by five points.
Limerick scored a goal of their own in the 21st minute Naughton played the ball into Peter Nash and he shot low to the net. They were wasteful in front of the posts in the first half.
As half-time approached the Treaty County came more into the game. Emmet Rigter squandered a goal chance in the 31st minute while Longford keeper Paddy Collum brought off a fine double save to deny Rigter and then Colm McSweeney.
A point from Andy Meade saw Limerick trail by two at the break – 2-04 to 1-05. Three points in a row saw them take the lead for the first time in the 43rd minute.
One minute later Longford’s Jayson Matthews scored the first two pointer of the game. Nash was causing havoc for Longford and their defence struggled to maintain him. The game was level three times in three minutes. Two points from the boot of the excellent Rigter put two between the sides with 10 minutes of normal time remaining.
Longford defender Paddy Fox blocked down Cillian Fahy’s effort in the 64th minute as Limerick opened Longford up again. Carey (free) and Iain Corbett exchanged points before the young Clonguish clubman Carey kicked over a two-pointer at the end to earn Longford a draw.
Scorers for Longford: O Kenny 2-1, M Carey 0-6 (1 tpf), J Matthews 0-2 (tp), D Reynolds, K McGann, D Farrell 0-1 each.
Scorers for Limerick: P Nash 1-3 (1f), E Rigter, J Naughton (1f) 0-3 each, M McCarthy 0-2, J Ryan (‘45), B Coleman, A Meade, I Corbett 0-1 each.
LONGFORD: P Collum; P Fox, S O’Sullivan, B Masterson; P Lynn, R Moffett, I O’Sullivan; D Reynolds, D Duggan; K McGann, D Farrell, J Matthews; O Kenny, M Carey, C McCabe.
Subs: J Moran for S O’Sullivan (57), A Farrell for McGann (60), C Brady
LIMERICK: J Ryan; O Collins, F Cotter, M McCarthy; B Coleman, K Ryan, P Maher; T Childs, C Fahy; A Meade, E Rigter, J Naughton; P Nash, R Childs, T McCarthy.
Subs: C McSweeney for Collins (27), D O’Hagan for T Childs (43), I Corbett for Ryan (54), S Clancy for R Childs (65)
Referee: M Dorrian (Donegal)
Team News
Jimmy Lee has announced his Limerick Senior Football team and match panel for their opening Allianz Football League game:
The Limerick Senior Football team will face Longford this Sunday in Glennon Brothers Pearse Park at 2pm. pic.twitter.com/R4yFZ0WI9l— Limerick GAA (@LimerickCLG) January 24, 2025
LIMERICK SENIOR FOOTBALL TEAM: Josh Ryan (Oola); Oran Collins (Adare), Fiachra Cotter (Fr Casey’s), Mark McCarthy (Fr Casey’s); Barry Coleman (Rathkeale), Killian Ryan (Mungret St Paul’s), Paul Maher (Adare); Tommie Childs (Galtee Gaels), Cillian Fahy (Dromcollogher Broadford); Andrew Meade (Rathkeale), Emmett Rigter (Newcastle West), James Naughton (St Senan’s); Peter Nash (Kildimo-Pallaskenry), Rob Childs (Galtee Gaels), Tony McCarthy (Kildimo-Pallskenry).
SUBS: Jeffrey Alfred (Adare), Ruadhan O’Connor (Newcastle West), Diarmuid Buckley (Fr Casey’s), Iain Corbett (Newcastle West), Colm McSweeney (Gerald Griffins), Adam Shanagher (Rathkeale), Darragh O’Hagan (Mungret St Paul’s), Sean Clancy (Galtee Gaels), Rory O’Brien (Fr Casey’s), Tadgh Ó Siochru (Monaleen) and Darragh Ó Siochru (Monaleen)
