Cabinteely boss Pat Devlin says the pressure is on Longford ahead of Friday's second leg in the Midlands

Andrew Dempsey reports from Stradbrook Road

Cabinteely manager Pat Devlin is adamant that the pressure is on Longford Town for next week’s second leg at City Calling Stadium in the first round of the promotion/relegation playoff series. 

Daire Doyle’s Longford will take a scoreless draw back home to the Midlands ahead of the second leg, but both they and Cabo will feel as if they may have left a win behind them during the first-leg at Stradbrook.

“It’s only half-time,” Devlin said after the game to extratime.ie.

“I’m not happy with us picking up an injury and a sending off – that’s annoying but it is what it is.

“Am I happy with the result? It’s better than being beaten. Do I feel we should have won it? We had enough chances; they had enough chances.

“It was nip and tuck and it’s always going to be that way and it’s all to play for next Friday in Longford.

“Longford is a nice place to go and if we can get a result there all the sweeter. The pressure is on them now.

“They’ve got to come out and beat us. Obviously, we’ll be waiting, and we’ll have our tactics right and we’ll do our best to get a result down there.

“The lads gave everything, and we’ll get on with it and let’s go to Longford next week and try get a result.”



With Longford crying foul of referee Alan Carey not awarding them a goal early on, the former Bray Wanderers boss insisted that he felt as if the officials got the major calls right. 

“I don’t remember Longford’s goal. It wasn’t a goal. If it was a goal the referee would have given it.

“The first thing I looked at was the linesman and where he was positioned. He was right on the back-line, so it wasn’t a goal…

“Longford are a very good side. We’re a good side, we haven’t been playing for a couple of weeks. Fellas looked a little bit lethargic in the second half for us in particular.

“But we had chances to win that game and I’m sure Longford will come away from the game thinking the same. It’s fantastic now, a cup final, second half down in Longford.

“Anyone that’s listening or reads this – switch on and get down to Longford. It will be a good game, it’s a good side and we’re not bad either so we’ll give it a right go.”