The Town had fallen behind to an early Johnny Lafferty goal, but JP McDonagh drew them level 10 minutes after the restart when he slotted home Cathal Brady's right wing cross.

Two minutes later Peter Hynes got a foot to John Lester's cross to make it 2-1. Lester was the provider again for Longford's third in the 69th minute when his corner was headed home by Chris Deans. Harps pulled a goal back in the 77th minute through Davitt Walsh and piled on the pressure in the final minutes but just could not get that elusive equaliser.

Over the last number of years Harps have held the upper hand in their encounters with the midlanders. Last season, they defeated Longford twice at Finn Park and picked up a point on the road.

You have to go back to July 2005 for the Town's last win against the Ballybofey side - a match that proved to be Felix Healy's last in charge of the club.

This season with the squad of players at Tony Cousins' disposal the Town are going to be formidable opposition in an ultra-competitive First Division. Harps, for their part, will certainly be disappointed at the manner in which they conceded their goals.

It was a strange game, although the support that made their way from the north-west will feel that Harps probably deserved at least a share of the spoils. Walsh also stuck the woodwork late in the game.

Manager James Gallaagher opted to leave Shaun McGowan out of the side for the season opener, while the likes of Jonathan Minnock, Walsh, Kevin McHugh and Matthew Crossan were welcomed back on board.
There were plenty of new faces making their Longford Town debuts.

Defender Kevin Cronin and striker Derek Glynn were the only players from last season involved, while influential goalkeeper Aaron Shanahan picked up a muscle injury and had to sit out the game. Due to Shanahan's injury former Shamrock Rovers A Championship keeper Stephen Conlon was handed a starting role.

After a nervy start he acquitted himself well for the rest of the game, pulling off a fine save near the end to deny Harps their equaliser.

The visitors got off to the perfect start when they opened the scoring in the eighth minute when the impressive debutant Lafferty saw his dipping shot beat Conlon, albeit with a slight deflection off unlucky Town midfielder Thomas Hyland.

Town had two chances in the space of a minute to get back on level terms. In the 17th minute McDonagh's cross from the left somehow eluded Harps keeper Ciaran Gallagher but defender James Doherty was on hand to clear the danger off the line.

One minute later Lester's rasping free-kick from about 30 yards out beat Gallagher but unfortunately for the midfielder it came back off the crossbar.

Eight minutes from the break, Marc Brolly should have doubled Harps advantage but he headed over Stephen McLaughlin's cross. Harps created another scoring opportunity five minutes after the restart but McHugh's close range header from another McLoughlin cross just sailed over at a stage when a second goal would've put the away side in a very strong situation indeed.

Harps were to rue those missed chances and in the 55th minute the Town were back on level terms; Cathal Brady's cross from the right flashed across the face of goal and McDonagh was on hand at the far post to toe-poke it home.

Two minutes later and the Town took the lead when Hynes got a vital touch onto Lester's excellent pinpoint cross to turn it home. Longford were now in the ascendancy and in the 69th minute they extended their lead when Deans powerfully headed Lester's corner past the helpless Gallagher.

The goals didn't end there and in the 77th minute it was 3-2. Walsh found himself one-on-one with Conlon after being played in by McHugh and he made no mistake in slipping the ball past the Longford netminder.

Harps piled on the pressure in the final 10 minutes as they went in search of an equaliser; Walsh hit the post with two minutes remaining but Longford stood firm to hold on for a fine win, while Harps will be hoping to hit the ground running when league new-boys Salthill Devon arrive at Finn Park on Friday.

Longford Town: Stephen Conlon, Derek Tyrell, Philip Byrne (Chris Deans 33), Kevin Cronin, Gary Cronin, Cathal Brady, John Lester, Thomas Hyland Ryan McEvoy (46), JP McDonagh, Peter Hynes Mark Salmon (83), Derek Glynn.

Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher, James Doherty, Jon Minnock, Packie Mailey, Matt Crossan, Stephen McLoughlin, Michael Funston, Johnny Lafferty, Marc Brolly (Mark Forker 75), Kevin McHugh, Davitt Walsh.

Referee: Phil Caschera (Dublin).