Counties eye elusive prize

U-21 FOOTBALL LEINSTER FINAL Wexford v Longford:IT'S NOT often you can say history will be made in a Leinster football final, no matter who wins. But that's the prospect facing Longford and Wexford in O'Moore Park this evening as both counties look to end their losing records in this grade of provincial final.

Longford have lost two under-21 finals this decade, and five in all, including 2006, but this might be their best chance yet of landing the elusive prize. The team is partly built on the Longford minor side that won the Leinster title last summer, and as many as seven of their players have another two years in the grade.

But under the management of Pádraic Davis, Longford’s long-serving footballer, the team have both gelled and prospered: they forced extra-time against Meath, who had knocked out All-Ireland champions Dublin in their quarter-final, and eventually won by two points – and then upset a fancied Westmeath in the semi-final, coming from behind to secure a one-point victory.

Wexford have named an unchanged side from that which beat Carlow in their semi-final. This is Wexford’s fifth final in the grade, having lost out in 1968, 1974, 1988 (after a third replay, against Offaly) and also 2008.

WEXFORD: R Farrell; M Furlong, S Gaul, C Carty; D Butler, J Leacy, J Breen; M OHanlong, M O'Regan; L Og McGovern, E Kent, P Kelly; K O'Grady, K Kehoe, B Halpin.

LONGFORD: TBA.