Longford miss out - December 6, 2000
Finn Harps 2 Longford Town 2
Longford Town missed the chance to go top of the Eircom League for the first time in their history when they were held to a draw at Ballybofey last night.
And only their fighting qualities enabled them to bring back any sort of souvenir of Donegal, as they twice had to come from behind against a Harps side battling for premier survival.
John Kenny has suddenly struck a vein of goalscoring form. He stuck one past UCD at the weekend and he opened the scoring again last night as Harps started like a hurricane. Just three minutes had elapsed when Keith O'Connor headed off his line only for the ball to drop kindly for Kenny on the edge of the box - and his sweetly struck volley gave Stephen O'Brien no chance.
But Longford were back on terms after 26 minutes. Gareth Downey spilled Stuart Holt's free kick and Stephen Gavin slid into finish it.
Kenny restored Harps' lead in the 58th minute when he steered home another pinpoint cross from Paddy McGrenaghan.
But Longford, missing at least four first-choice players, including Stephen Kelly who failed a late fitness test, battled back and Stuart Byrne earned the point with a goal worthy of winning the championship - a cracking 30-yard screamer that Gareth Downey will have to admire on television, because he certainly had no chance of seeing it live!
Finn Harps: Downey, Scanlon, Minnock, Fitzhenry, J Kenny, McGrenaghan, Mohan, Tierney, McHugh, F Bradley, Harkin
Subs: Speak for McHugh 86
Goals: J Kenny 3, 58
Longford Town: O'Brien,
Kenny, Coyle, S Byrne, Murphy, McNally, Holt, Notaro, Zellor, O'Connor, Gavin
Subs: Smith for Kenny 45, Farrell for Gavin 63, V Perth for Holt 72
Goals: Gavin 26, S Byrne 74
Referee: P Deering (Sligo)