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gaa · Friday 17 July 2026 · 19:00 
Longford Slashers vs Grattan Gaels
At Glennon Brothers Pearse Park · Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, Longford, Co. Longford
At Glennon Brothers Pearse Park · Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, Longford, Co. Longford
A Friday evening under the floodlights at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park is one of the more enjoyable ways to spend time in Longford town. This fixture pits Longford Slashers against Grattan Gaels in the U12 Mini Football League - Phase 2, Group 3, Round 3, and while underage club football might not grab the same headlines as senior championship day, these games are often the most spirited of the lot. Parents, club members, and anyone who enjoys watching young players grow into the game all come out for nights like this. Admission is free, the atmosphere is relaxed, and the standard at this age group is better than you might expect.
Longford Slashers is one of the county’s best-known clubs, formed in 1954 from the merger of Longford Wanderers and Whiterock Slashers, and they have won the Longford Senior Football Championship 16 times since. Their underage structures are well run, and their U12 teams play with the kind of energy that makes youth football so watchable.
Grattan Gaels are the underage section of the Young Grattans club, based out of Stonepark on the edge of Longford town. The senior club, Grattan Óg, was founded in 1889 and plays in purple and gold. The Gaels junior and underage sides have a loyal following in the Stonepark and surrounding areas.
The match is being played at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, the county GAA headquarters on the southern edge of Longford town. The ground was first opened in April 1937 and has a current capacity of around 10,000. Longford GAA announced in 2023 that it had purchased 32 acres of adjoining land for a new Centre of Excellence, so the facility is going through a period of real expansion. For a mid-July evening fixture, the ground will be open and accessible well before the 7pm throw-in.
Longford town sits on the N4 Dublin to Sligo road, roughly 120 km from Dublin and 60 km from Athlone. The town is also on the main Dublin to Sligo rail line, with regular services stopping at Longford station, which is a short walk from the town centre. Glennon Brothers Pearse Park is on the southern side of town, accessible from the ring road. Car parking is available at the ground itself, and the surrounding roads are manageable for an underage fixture on a weekday evening.
Longford town has a compact and walkable centre, with St Mel’s Cathedral - one of the more impressive Catholic cathedrals in the midlands - worth a look before or after the match. There is more to see in Longford and across Co. Longford.
Heading to Glennon Brothers Pearse Park in Longford? Longford has plenty more to see. Read the Longford area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.