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Longford top the table with impressive win over Derry while Bohs are beaten in Finn Harps

Longford Town 2 Derry City 0

20 March 2021; Joe Gorman of Longford, left, celebrates with team-mate Aodh Dervin after scoring his side's second goal during the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division match between Longford Town and Derry City at Bishopsgate in Longford. Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile Expand

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20 March 2021; Joe Gorman of Longford, left, celebrates with team-mate Aodh Dervin after scoring his side's second goal during the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division match between Longford Town and Derry City at Bishopsgate in Longford. Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

20 March 2021; Joe Gorman of Longford, left, celebrates with team-mate Aodh Dervin after scoring his side's second goal during the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division match between Longford Town and Derry City at Bishopsgate in Longford. Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

20 March 2021; Joe Gorman of Longford, left, celebrates with team-mate Aodh Dervin after scoring his side's second goal during the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division match between Longford Town and Derry City at Bishopsgate in Longford. Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

Longford Town enjoyed a dream start on their return to the top flight after a four-year absence as goals from Dylan Grimes and Joe Gorman brought a deserved opening night victory over Derry City at Bishopsgate to put the midlanders top of the Premier Division table.

Lively winger Dylan Grimes found the bottom corner with an angled drive to give Daire Doyle’s side a deserved ninth minute lead.

As in the first half, Derry were on the back foot from the restart as Nathan Gartside was called on to make a terrific diving save from a Dean Byrne drive two minutes in.

But the Derry keeper, called up this week to the Northern Ireland international squad, was culpable for Longford’s second goal on 72 minutes, parrying an Aodh Dervin free kick into the path of Gorman who swept the loose ball home from close range.

Finn Harps 1 Bohemians 0

Adam Foley was the match winner as Finn Harps defeated 2020 runners-up Bohemians at Finn Park.

Foley nipped in when James Finnerty’s pass back to goalkeeper James Talbot lacked in pace. Foley rounded Talbot to clip home.

Donegal man Georgie Kelly, making his Bohs debut, was denied by Mark Anthony McGinley before Ethan Boyle cleared off the line from Ross Tierney. In added time, Tierney had a golden chance at the far post, but his effort was off target.

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