A late, late goal Conor Barry goal gave Wexford a 2-1 victory over Longford at a blustery Ferrycarrig Park writes Tony Ghee.
The Town had the first chance on seven minutes, Sam Verdon pounced on a mistake by Wexford centre-back Jordan Tallon. His well-struck shot from the edge of the box produced a fine save from Wexford keeper Alex Moody.
Wexford should have should have rattled the Longford net on 17 minutes with two glorious opportunities in the space of sixty seconds.
Firstly, a flowing move involving Jack Doherty, Aidan Friel, and Dinny Corcoran unlocked the visitors’ defence. Having been played clean through Friel blazed over the bar from 15-yards-out.
Wexford won the Longford kick-out. Conor Davis timed his run to perfection to beat the Town offside trap and find himself one-on-one with Luke Dennison.
The former Town striker slotted the ball past Dennison, but Longford centre-back Dylan Barnett came to the rescue with a goal-line clearance.
The home side finished the half very strongly, creating two more excellent chances, with Doherty just off-target on both occasions.
Three minutes before the break a superb Davis ball put Doherty in on goal but he missed the gilt-edged opportunity. Having guided the ball past Town stopper Dennison, the ball went inches wide of the far post.
Just before the half-time whistle; Doherty turned a low Friel cross just wide of the opposite post with Dennison rooted to the spot.
Longford almost took the lead four minutes into the second-half but Christian Mageruson’s powerful shot from the edge of the Wexford box was brilliantly tipped onto the upright by Moody.
The next chance went to the hosts. Corcoran’s spectacular 25-yard shot on the half-volley sailed narrowly over the Town bar on 63 minutes.
Wexford opened the scoring on 69 minutes. Conor Crowley’s corner deflected off a Town player and fell into the path of Luka Lovic who fired home to the net from close range.
However, Longford were back on level terms just four minutes later. Ben Lynch’s left wing cross found substitute Karl Chambers and at the second attempt, Chambers blasted the ball to the Wexford net off the far post.
Just as it seemed the game would finish in a draw, Wexford snatched all three points when substitute Conor Barry fired home at the back post from Crowley’s right-wing cross.
Wexford FC (4-3-3): Moody, Friel, Cleary, Tallon, Wells, Crawley, Lovic, Groome, Doherty, Corcoran, Davis.
Substitutes: Conor Barry for Corcoran, Aaron Dobbs for Davis (both 78 minutes), Len O’Sullivan for Wells (81 minutes), Luke Scanlon for Groomes (90 minutes).
Longford Town (4-4-1-1): Dennison, Elworthy, Barker, Barnett, Lynch, Graydon, Robinson, McMenamy, Power, Verdon, Mageruson.
Substitutes: Chambers for Graydon, Molloy for Doyle (both half-time), Dunne for Mageruson (78 minutes), O’Brien for McMenamy (85 minutes).
