12/10/2026
๐๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐โ๐ฌ ๐๐ฐ๐๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ฎ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ญ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐
๐
๐ฑ๐ข ๐ผ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ผ๐๐ ๐, ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐ฒ๐ถ๐ป๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ด๐๐ฒ โ ๐ฅ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฏ
๐ก๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ต ๐๐ถ๐น๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฑ โ ๐ฎ๐ฐ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ด๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐ฅ๐๐
Longford Senior Men took to the road again on Sunday past as they made the journey east on the N4 to Kilcock, Co. Kildare to take on North Kildare RFC in round 3 of this years Leinster League. Having opened the league campaign with a home victory over Clondalkin RFC, a round 2 road trip defeat followed against New Ross RFC meaning this was a fixture very much targeted to get the campaign back on track. In glorious autumnal sunshine, the sides took to the field each determined to secure an important win.
It was the hosts who got off to the better start and were rewarded on only 4 minutes with a penalty to open the scoreboard at 3-0. Credit to Longford however who replied on 8 minutes when flanker Alan Crowe barged over after some sustained pressure from the Longford pack to get the gameโs opening try. Outhalf Jayden Boshoff converted and Longford took a 7-3 lead. However, it was the hosts who took matters into their own hands after this, scoring a try on 30 minutes after a poor defensive effort from Longford allowed a speculative chip through bounce for the oncoming North Kildare player to scoop and off load to the supporting runner who went in just left of the posts. They converted and moved 10-7 back in front. On 37 minutes, North Kildare again struck with a try after a straight forward backs moved released their Outhalf who broke the line and fed the supporting winger who made no mistake and grounded for their second try of the game, which went converted to give the hosts a 17-7 lead at the break. Longford simply had not clicked and needed the halftime whistle to regroup.
Things went from bad to worse early in the second act when on 41 minutes another speculative kick was sent deep in behind the Longford back 3 where the North Kildare winger galloped into open space to reclaim the ball and go in for the easiest of tries. The conversion was narrowly missed but North Kildare had now established a commanding 22-7 lead and Longford had given themselves a huge mountain to climb if they were to get anything from the game. To their credit, they responded and on 52 minutes scored a brilliant try from a clean lineout won inside their own half. Outhalf Jayden Boshoff made a brilliant solo run just outside the Longford 22, jinking his way through the cover defence to release the supporting Andrew Farrell on the halfway line. With still two defenders to beat, he turned on the jets before a stiff handoff on the last defender cleared the way for him to make it all the way in under the posts. Boshoff converted and it was now 22-14 - the chase was on. Boshoff nailed a penalty on 68 minutes to close the gap further to 22-17 and with 6 minutes remaining the comeback was very much on.
But Longford will be hugely frustrated by the lose of a key attacking lineout on 72 minutes just outside the North Kildare 22. From this loss of possession, the hosts cleared the ball with a kick deep back into Longford half. Boshoff and Farrell again combined to exit cleverly and make it back to just shy of the halfway line but the supporting Longford players were a fraction too slow to the clear out allowing a jackal and penalty turnover. The North Kildare kicker made no mistake with a booming penalty to make it 25-17 on 75 minutes and essentially seal the victory for the hosts. Longford never gave up and launched straight back up to claw back the gap. On 79 minutes David Geelan ploughed over from a close pick nโgo to score Longfordโs closing try which Boshoff converted. Final score 25-24.
Credit to North Kildare who took their chances and were the better team โ the scoreboard doesnโt lie. This was a bad day at the office for Longford who have now lost 2 of the opening 3 fixtures of this seasonโs Leinster League. After such a strong showing last season, the standards must improve and quickly, as fresh momentum needs to be found. There is still everything to play for but the room for error has now been significantly narrowed. The further return of players unavailable to this point will greatly boost these efforts over the coming rounds. Up front, credit to both young props Tadhg McCauley & James Grehan who are getting crucial senior experience and getting better every game. Milo Hewison & Alan Crowe both acquitted themselves well throughout and never gave an inch up front. In the backs, Boshoff & Farrell in particular were standouts. But it was flanker Barry OโSullivan who takes this weekโs Player of the Match honours with a tenacious all-round performance, never giving up and leading the fight at every contest in the loose.
Longford host Newbridge RFC next Sunday, 18th October for what is now an absolutely crucial fixture for this seasonโs League Campaign. The players know themselves the step up in performance needed.
In the other game of the day, Longford Seconds edged out North Kildare in a thriller. Securing their second win of the season, a narrow 26-29 was secured with tries from Kyle Kenny, Player of the Match Beau OโConnor, Brian Hanley and Senan Murphy. Murphy added three conversions and a penalty for a personal haul of 14 points.
๐๐ผ๐ป๐ด๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐ญ๐๐ ๐ซ๐ฉ ๐ฆ๐พ๐๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ ๐ก๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ต ๐๐ถ๐น๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐๐
1 โ T McCauley 2 โ R Collum 3 โ J Grehan 4 โ A Beirne (c) 5 โ M Hewison 6 โ A Crowe 7 โ B Sullivan 8 โ S McKeown 9 โ F McGowan 10 โ J Boshoff 11 โ T Smit 12 โ C McDonagh 13 โ A Farrell 14 โ D Rogan 15 โ D Connolly 16 โ D Ryan 17 โ D Geelan 18 โ J Byrne
