Longford Senior Men got back to winning ways with a bonus point win versus Clondalkin in their first game of 2022 on Sunday past.
Covid put pay to their first league fixture of the year last weekend away to Cill Dara so after a long break of over a month the start was key for both teams to blow off the cobwebs.
It was Longford who blew off the cobwebs quicker, starting brightly and confining Clondalkin to their 22 for most of the first 20 minutes.
Indeed, Longford lit up the game with some scintillating attacking rugby at times, orchestrated by Aidan Wynne at 10 and Danny McHugh at 12.
Longford had a few early chances but lack of resourcing at ruck time lead to some turnovers.
However, they were not to be denied and on seven minutes a sweeping back line move saw Danny McHugh go over under the posts of a converted try.
Longford then had a shot at goal, which hit the posts and was cleared but Ryan McHugh made amends 16 minutes in, to give Longford a 10 point lead.
Clondalkin then made their first foray into the Longford half via a kick at goal after the home side conceded a penalty from the kick off, which was missed.
Longford then gradually began to turn the screw with Ryan McHugh knocking over another penalty on the 25 minutes mark.Longford put the result beyond doubt before half time with two well worked tries by Joe McGowan and Ryan McHugh to leave the half time score 27-0 in the home side favour.
The first ten minutes was largely played around the half way line until Clondalkin had their purple patch.
One of Longford’s props was sent to the bin for overall team indiscipline and despite a heroic near 10 minute defensive spell, the Longford line was eventually breached for an unconverted try.
There was some apprehension in the home support at this stage, not about the result but ability to score the all-important fourth try to secure a bonus point.
However, these doubts were emphatically put to bed by the end of the match. Firstly, Captain Hubie Connolly crashed over for the bonus point try and then adding a second shortly after.
To the supporters delight, the victory was capped off by a Joe McGowan try on the stroke of full time to leave the final score Longford 48 Clondalkin 5.
Longford now head on the road with two trips to Carlow to firstly face Carlow next Sunday January 23rd and then Tullow on February 6th.
Longford Squad: P O’Farrell, H Connolly (C), D Quinn, D Geelan, Aaron Beirne, J Geelan, M McHugh, K O’Gorman, F McGowan, A Wynne, R Shaw, D McHugh, G McDermott, J McGowan, R McHugh, S McKeon, P Dardis, Andrew Beirne, F Davis, J Mimnagh,
