Longford advanced to the Leinster SFC quarter-final after a 25 points to 2-13 victory over Carlow at Bord Na Mona O’Connor Park, Tullamore.
Padraic Davis’ men led 13 points to six at half-time and while Carlow improved in the second half, Longford held on for a six-point point victory
Longford made the better start and led four points to two at the first water break with Kevin Diffley, Michael Quinn, Darren Gallagher and Rian Brady on target for the Midlanders.
Longford registered four scores on the trot after the restart before Darragh Foley replied with his third point for Carlow reducing the gap to five points
Carlow took until the 31st minute to get a score from play when Colm Hulton bisected the posts before Chris Blake and Paul Broderick added a point each leaving seven points between them at half-time.
The sides cancelled each other out in the first nine minutes of the second half hitting three points each before a 47th minute point from Robbie Smith gave Longford an eight-point buffer.
Roughly a minute later, Conor Crowley found the net for Carlow but Niall Carew’s men still trailed by six points at the second water break.
Longford showed great urgency upon resumption and a point each from Robbie Smith, Joseph Hagan and Rian Brady opened up a nine –point gap with 14 minutes left.
Carlow had two goal chances in the 63rd minute, the second of which fell to Chris Blake but were denied by Paddy Collum on both occasions.
Six minutes later, Carlow scored their second goal through Darragh Foley making it a five-point game but a Dylan Farrell point deep into injury time meant Longford finished with two goals to spare.
