Longwood celebrate victory

Longwood took the leap to the top grade of Meath hurling when they convincingly won the IHC title at Pairc Tailteann on Saturday with a polished performance against Blackhall Gaels. The victory was all the more impressive because they had to dig deep into their reserves when influential midfielder Mickey Burke collected a second yellow card only a minute after the resumption. Against that background, Longwood showed lots of character, especially in the closing stages when Blackhall attacked in waves, but were repulsed by a solid rearguard in which Enda Dixon was superb at full-back. Not too far behind, in terms of effort and endeavour, were Daragh Maguire, Martin Bermingham, Jim Mahon, Joe Stenson and team captain and centre-back Karl Ennis. The star of the Longwood show was undoubtedly minor player Anthony Healy who amassed 10 points, three from play, as he helped Longwood to a 0-10 to 0-7 interval lead. Some of points were right out of the top drawer, two in particular in the second-half which he rocketed between the posts at the O'Mahonys end from inside his own 65-metre line. "I can't understand how he hasn't made it on to the Meath team, but that's not a major concern today," Longwood manager Cyril Maguire told the Meath Chronicle minutes after Karl Ennis raised the trophy which signalled an end to his team's exile in the second tier of Meath hurling. And that is a challenge which many of the Longwood players will be eager to tackle for the first time next year when they take their place amongst the elite clubs like Kilmessan, Kildalkey and Dunboyne. "I don't know if I will be in charge next year, the club might opt to bring in someone else, but at least we are back in the senior grade," added Maguire who also suggested that if he was to meet Kilmessan in the 2010 Jubilee Cup that he would prefer to face that challenge in the first round. The top class condition of the Pairc Tailteann pitch contributed enormously to an open game which was played at a brisk pace throughout and certainly kept the good-sized crowd interested. Referee Conor Ferguson let the play flow, but he was also quick to penalise any transgressions which resulted in those two yellow cards for Burke as well as one each for Longwood duo Declan Maguire and Bermingham with Blackhall's Tom Murphy also making it into the notebook. Those incidents aside, the fare was excellent and with Anthony Healy claiming seven of those 10 first-half points, Longwood were always in the ascendancy. Burke, Aaron Ennis and Michael Healy, an uncle of Anthony Healy, accounted for the other scores. Blackhall were always under pressure in that opening half, but stayed in touch through four Dermot Carty frees and a point each from play by Darren O'Loughlin, Stephen Morris and Jonathan Meyler. The beleaguered Blackhall defence was augmented by the 16th minute introduction of Alan Nestor for Ciaran Burke as team manager Fergus Smyth attempted to stem the flow of points. And scarcely 60 seconds into the second-half Blackhall were handed a great opportunity to win the title when Longwood lost midfielder Burke to that red card. Two more pointed Blackhall frees from Carty reduced the deficit to the minimum (0-9 to 0-10) within eight minutes of the resumption, but that was as good as got for the Gaels who had no response to Longwood's grit and determination. Healy's first point from inside his own '65' provided some inspiration, but when substitute Bernard Reilly rifled the sliotar to the net with his first touch, it signalled the beginning of the end for Blackhall's challenge. Reilly had plenty of reasons to celebrate the goal. "One of the lads had a bet with me at my wedding on Friday that I wouldn't score a goal with my first touch, he gave me odds of 10/1, so I invested and I hope he pays up now," a delighted Reilly remarked as he watched the presentation with a broad smile on his face. The goal, with 13 minutes remaining was the crucial score and provided a 1-11 to 0-9 cushion, but Longwood still had plenty of work to do. Inspirational substitutions seem to be the norm in Longwood as the next one, Noel Ennis, pointed with his first touch and when Anthony Healy produced that massive second free from inside his own '65' it extended the advantage to 1-13 to 0-11 with six minutes remaining. There was no way back for Blackhall Gaels and Longwood finished with a flourish as Anthony Healy took his tally to 10 for the hour and Aaron Ennis also added an important point. SCORERS Longwood - A Healy 0-10, six frees, one '65'; B Reilly 1-0; A Ennis 0-2; M Burke 0-1; M Healy 0-1; N Ennis 0-1. Blackhall Gaels - D Carty 0-6, all frees; J Meyler 0-3; S Morris 0-1; D O'Loughlin 0-1. THE TEAMS Longwood - Alan Ennis; Daragh Maguire, Enda Dixon, Martin Bermingham; Jim Mahon, Karl Ennis, Joseph Stenson; Michael Burke, Aaron Ennis; Chris Lynch, Michael Healy, Coran Byrne; Anthony Healy, James Dorran, Declan Maguire. Subs - Ross Ennis for Declan Maguire half-time; Bernard Reilly for Byrne 46 mins; Noel Ennis for Ennis 50m; Ray Dorran for J Dorran 55m; Damien Stack for Lynch 59m. Blackhall Gaels - Emmet Dalton; Ciaran Burke, David McGowan, Conor Delany; Kevin O'Connor, Shane O'Loughlin, Daniel Carty; Tom Murphy, John Kelly; Dermot Carty, Jonathan Meyler, Thomas Coyle; Stephen Morris, Mark Mullally, Darren O'Loughlin. Subs - Alan Nestor for Burke 16 mins; Aidan Ferris for Coyle 53m; John O'Malley for O'Loughlin 59m. REFEREE Conor Ferguson (Gaeil Cholmcille)