No other team can boast a perfect championship record against Clare than Longford who, 11 years after knocking their hosts out of the All-Ireland Championship, doubled the dose to edge into the last 12 of the Tailteann Cup in Ennis.
Despite the lead changing hands on four occasions in the last 25 minutes, Mike Solan's side deservedly prevailed, thanks in the main to two late goals in the space of three minutes through scorers-in-chief Dylan Farrell and Oran Kenny.
It was the latest in a bizarre series of reverses in Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chiosóg as this was Clare’s fifth defeat in six competitive matches in Ennis in 2026. Longford exploited that anxiousness by embracing the conditions and setting the pace from the outset, with the Banner only eventually hitting the front for the very first time in the 47th minute.
Up to that point, Clare had managed to draw level three times in the opening period, only to be outdone by a superb brace of second quarter two-pointers for Kenny and Farrell that ensured a 0-8 to 0-7 interval edge.
Despite now facing into the conditions, the Leinster side, who also secured promotion to Division 3 of the National League for 2026, were unlucky not to spectacularly open the second half with a goal. Daniel Reynolds just cleared the crossbar in the 41st minute.
Mark McInerney and Kenny traded points before Clare finally sparked into life as Dermot Coughlan picked out the run of centre-back Cillian Rouine to race through and hit the roof of the net at 1-08 to 0-10.
It should have been the catalyst for Paul Madden’s side to push on but Longford admirably halted the home momentum with an immediate two-pointer for Matthew Flynn while a subsequent four point Banner blitz inspired by the returning Emmet McMahon would also be equalled by the tireless Longford.
Making his first appearance of 2026 following a cruciate ligament injury, talisman McMahon (2) and Clare’s best player Aaron Griffin had nudged their side 1-13 to 0-14 clear entering the final ten minutes only to be floored by a brilliant Longford riposte.
The experienced Reynolds flashed a shot across goal and wide, a warning that wasn’t heeded by the home side as less than a minute later, a goalmouth scramble was toe-poked to the net by man-of-the-match Farrell at 1-14 to 1-13.
Aaron Griffin regained full parity for a sixth time but with the bit between their teeth, Longford would be the ones to snatch the initiative when needed most as points through Farrell (2) and replacement Aaron Farrell were bolstered by a clinching goal for Kenny on the counter at 2-17 to 1-14.
Aaron Griffin and Emmet McMahon did answer with two-pointers within a minute to tee up a grandstand finish but time ran out on the Banner backlash as Longford put their name in the hat for Monday’s Round 3 draw.
Longford: Eoin McGuinness; Patrick Fox, Bryan Masterson, Cian Brady; Peter Lynn, Ronan Sweeney, Niall Farrelly; Oisin O’Toole, Daire Duggan; Daniel Reynolds (0-2), Joseph Hagan, Matthew Flynn (0-2, 1tp); Dylan Farrell (1-7, 1tp, 2f), Paddy Moran (0-1), Oran Kenny (1-4, 1f, 1tp)
Subs: Aaron Farrell (0-1) for Hagan (50), James Moran for Flynn (57), Matthew Carey for Moran (60), Conor Smith for Sweeney (63, inj)
Clare: Tristan O’Callaghan; Manus Doherty, Ronan Lanigan, Ikem Ugwueru; Alan Sweeney (0-1), Cillian Rouine (1-0), Brendy Rouine; Brian McNamara, Cillian Brennan; Connor Meaney, Aaron Griffin (0-7, 1tp), Fionn Kelleher (0-1); Mark McInerney (0-4, 1f, 1’45), Cormac Murray, Dermot Coughlan (0-1)
Subs: Joe Rafferty for Murray (21-29, BS), Emmet McMahon (0-4, 1tp) for Murray (54), Eoin Cleary for Brennan (67), Josh Vaughan for Kelleher (67)
Referee: Thomas Murphy (Galway)
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