Longford Slashers

Longford Slashers
Flipeadoiri Longfoirt
County: Longford
Nickname: The Townies
Colours: Sky Blue,Navy and White
Grounds: Michael Fay Park
Coordinates: 53°42′53.39″N 7°47′58.83″W / 53.7148306°N 7.7996750°W / 53.7148306; -7.7996750Coordinates: 53°42′53.39″N 7°47′58.83″W / 53.7148306°N 7.7996750°W / 53.7148306; -7.7996750
Playing kits
Standard colours
Senior Club Championships
All Ireland Leinster
champions		 Longford
champions
Football: - - 16
Hurling: - - 11

Longford Slashers are a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in Longford, County Longford, Ireland.

History

Longford Slashers were formed in 1954 when Longford wanderers and Whiterock Slashers amalgamated .

Longford Slashers have won the Longford Senior Championship 16 times - 1954, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1961, 1971, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 2010, 2011 & 2013.

Since the foundation of the Club in 1954, Longford Slashers were without a home of their own and depended on the goodwill of Longford County Board to play many of their games in Pearse Park. They also rented some fields locally at other times over the years.

In 1978 they purchased an initial 12 acres (49,000 m2) at Farneyhoogan on the outskirts of Longford town. Following extensive development work, the first two pitches were opened on 8 June 1980 - the first competitive game was a Leader Cup match V Ardagh. The Club grounds, Clubhouse and other facilities were officially opened by the then President of Cumann Luthchleas Gael, Padraic McFlynn, on the 12 October 1980.

On 25 April 2005 another milestone was reached when a new floodlit all-weather playing pitch was opened on an additional 6 acres (24,000 m2) of land that the club purchased. On 6 October 2013, Slashers won their 16th county title, defeating Dromard by 1-11 to 1-9, and are now the most successful Gaelic football team in County Longford.

Additional

Longford Slashers are based in Michael Fay Park, Longford Town, Co. Longford. They have won the Longford Senior Football County Championship 16 times (more than any other team in Longford) They also are home to the Backstage Theatre Longford, a clubhouse and a gael scoil. They are currently the only club in the county fielding teams at football, ladies football, hurling and camógie.

Senior Football

The senior football manager is Eugene McCormack, former Longford County U21 team manager. Slashers also have a Junior team and a Hurling team.

Achievements

The club also recently reached county finals in 1960,1963,1964,1968,1977,1978, 1981,1997 2006 2008 and 2012.

Under-Age

There are 8 under-age football teams in the club: u-8s, u-10s, u-12s, two u-14s, two u16s & minor, and they have enjoyed great success. Longford Slashers have enjoyed success at U-21 level in the county, with their most recent success coming in 2004. In hurling, the club fields under-age teams from U8 through to Minor level and have won titles at every grade in recent years.

Notable players

Dessie Barry is Slashers most well known and arguably greatest player. Barry won his first county championship in 1979 at the age of 17. He went on to win five more senior championships in 1980, '89, '90, '91 and '94 receiving man-of-the-match for each of the three in a row (1989 - '91). Although he was an exceptional footballer for most of his career, playing for Longford County from 1982 to 2000, it was the period around 1990 where he was at the peak of his powers. As well as his success at the local level he was selected on successive Railway Cup teams between 1988 and 1990 and was nominated for an All-Star in those same three years. His highest national achievement came when he was picked to represent his country in the International Rules series against Australia in 1985. He is one of only three Longford players to have done so. He retired from senior football in 2001 and soon after became manager of Slashers senior team. He left the role in 2006 having helped lay the foundation for the team's success later in the decade. Dessie Barry was pick for Longford County's team of the Millennium. Barry was also nominated as one of Leinster's best footballers in the 25 year period 1984-2009. He was inducted into the Leinster GAA hall of fame in July 2015.

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