Mayo’s All-Ireland success and the League of Ireland connection can inspire Longford Town
Andy Moran knows all about knocking on doors and the long wait for a breakthrough
Cathal Dervan, Editor
All politics is local, they say. And whoever they are, they should also acknowledge that all great sports stories are local. There’s always an angle, even when Mayo win their first All-Ireland football title in 75 years and someone on X goes looking for a League of Ireland angle. Of course, they found one.
And it’s a bloody good one, the story of Andy Moran and his time as a wannabe professional footballer introduced to the black and red stripes of Longford Town whilst still a teenager.
Moran, as reported by the Longford Live website on Monday and based on a 2025 interview with the community radio station in Castlebar, turned to the League of Ireland’s underage set-up when he came out of minor football in Mayo and was left waiting for his senior call-up to the county colours.
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Getting down to business
By all accounts he was a decent footballer when he travelled down the N5 to the Strokestown Road grounds, winning an Enda McGuill Under 21 Cup with the Town’s under 21 side in 2003. “When I was younger, it was probably always my dream to play a bit of professional soccer,” said Andy. “I loved it, I really enjoyed it.”
Moran was also humble enough in that interview to admit that he wasn’t the best minor footballer in Mayo, never mind Connacht. He was a bit part player at best and only a December call-up to train with the Mayo senior panel from then manager John Maughan persuaded him to swap professional footballer ambitions for the chase for Sam.
That chase was a forlorn one as a player. Moran played in six All-Ireland final Sundays and left Croke Park a beaten man on each occasion.
But, as current squad member and former captain Paddy Durcan told Marty Morrissey at Monday night’s homecoming, Mayo always kept knocking on that door. On Sunday, the one time Longford Town winger Andy Moran handed them the key.
Not long after the hooter sounded at Croke Park, the Longford social media crew got to work. Their tweet was a simple one - ‘Congratulations to former Longford Town player Andy Moran who managed Mayo to All-Ireland success today! #Town2026 #CmonDeTown’
It was a good move by the Town’s media crew and it wasn’t a cheap shot. That tweet was typical of the goodwill that Mayo’s first All-Ireland win in almost 80 years generated across the country and indeed as far as Joe Biden country in America and Kevin Kilbane’s new home in Canada.
Mayo’s eventual All-Ireland success story touched soccer heads just as much as it inspired the gaelic football world. One of the best photographs I’ve seen is of Steve Staunton celebrating in the Croke Park stands alongside his brothers, the win meaning as much to them in honour of their late Mayo father Tom as Louth’s proud march to the Leinster title this year did for the Dundalk family.
Sport crosses borders and sport unites. And there’s a lesson for Longford Town and every other trailblazer in Irish soccer as Mayo fans begin to think about going back to work sometime this week.
It’s been a while since Stephen Kenny did an Andy Moran on it and inspired Longford Town to breakthrough honours with consecutive FAI Cup wins in 2003 and 2004.
Now back in the First Division, the Town are fifth in the table and in a dogfight to make the promotion play-off places at the end of the season. But, like their former player Andy Moran with Mayo, they are still knocking on that door.
And someday that door will open again for Longford Town just as it did for the Mayo footballers. Just don’t wait 75 years, lads! It’s not good for the heart.
AROUND THE HEADLINES
The staggering seven-figure sum at stake in Shamrock Rovers’ Champions League game on Tuesday - Irish Mirror
Ireland defender Jessie Stapleton departs West Ham for Leicester City - Irish Examiner
‘Consumed by hate’ - Infantino hits back at World Cup critics - RTE Sport
Chelsea open talks to sign Henderson and Welbeck - BBC Sport
Scottish Premiership club land former Linfield youngster ‘we have been scouting for some time’ - The Newsletter
Former Derry City and Dundalk star Patrick McEleney calls time on playing career - Extratime.com
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