Wicklow secured a fine victory over Longford in Echelon Park, Aughrim, on what was the one-hundred-year anniversary of the first ever meeting between the two sides.
An impressive second half from John Paul Nolan who manged five points, and 0-8 overall, meant the Garden County secured their second win of the league campaign, while Longford remain on one point following a draw with Limerick in the first round.
Oran Kenny opened the scoring for Longford making full use of a subtle breeze which was blowing toward the Herbest end in Aughrim for a settling point. Wicklow hit back with four quick-fire scores in a row rattled off by Chris O'Brien, Nolan, Mark Kenny and Nolan again.
However, the home side would fail to register their next flag of any description until the 20th minute. In this time Matthew Carey would land a free and Dessie Reynolds a point to keep his side in the hunt.
Following a Kevin Quinn free, moments later Joe Prendergast found himself dragged down by a forest of bodies in the Longford box for an adjudged Wicklow penalty by referee Eoin Morrisey.
Eoin Darcy would see his effort stopped by a reflex save by Patrick Collum before O’Brien followed up the rebound for a Wicklow goal. Matthew Carrey took a chunk out of that the Wicklow lead with a two-pointed free as Longford looked for a big finish to the half. However, Padraig O’Toole, Kevin Quinn and Chris O’Brien landed points each to one Mathew Carey free for scoreline of 1-08 to 0-06 at half time.
The start of the second half was slowed as a Wicklow breakaway attack led by Tom Moran ended in a clash of heads between Moran and Longford full back Sean O’Sullivan, which saw both players replaced.
From the resulting free, JP Nolan added his second two pointer of the half, which pushed his side four points further in front.
Joe Prendergast then managed to do as he intended in the first half, this time staying upright in the box before finding the bottom left corner for a second Wicklow goal.
Matthew Carrey responded and the impressive Dessie Reynolds almost had a major but saw his shot rise just above keeper Cathal Maguire.
Aaron Farrell followed Reynolds’s effort up quickly with a point of his own in what was Longford’s best spell in the game as they began to break down the Wicklow defence.
But up the other end, a Kevin Quinn free and a John Paul Nolan point meant Wicklow maintained a comfortable lead.
Coming into the closing stages Iarla O’Sullivan got up from wingback to box over a pointed effort which dropped short from the boot of Peter Lynn before Jayson Smith kicked over the final score of the game from a free for Longford deep into injury time.
Longford: P Collum; P Fox, S O’Sullivan, B Masterson; J Moran, R Moffett, I O’Sullivan (0-01); D Reynolds (0-02), D Duggan; K McGann, A Farrell (0-01), J Matthews (0-01); O Kenny (0-01), M Carey (0-06, 1tpf, 4f), C McCabe
Subs: D Farrell for K McGann (28), P Lynn for O Kenny (36), 21 O O’ Toole for S O’ Sullivan (41), D O’ Connell for A Farrell (65), 17 S Campbell for I O’ Sullivan (67), C Brady for D Reynolds (72)
Wicklow: C Fitzgerald, M Nolan, C Maguire, M Stone, J Prendergast (1-0), P O’Keane, T Moran, D Healy, P O’Toole (0-01) J Nolan (0-07, 2 tpf), C O’Brien (1-02), K Quinn (0-04, 4f), Andy Maher, Mark Kenny (0-01), Eoin Darcy
Subs: C Deering for T Moran (43), 24 G Fogarty for A Maher (45) 23 M Ging for M Kenny (51), L O’ Neill for P O’ Toole (62), D Fee for C O’ Brien (65)
Referee: Eoin Morrisey (Waterford)
