Wexford vs Longford: Match Preview, Predictions and Betting Tips
Published on Wednesday, 30 September 2026 by Steve
Wexford FC vs Longford Town
SSE Airtricity Men's First Division Prediction & Betting Tips
Match Overview
In Pictures: Wexford see off Longford Town to boost play-off hopes - The Home of Irish Football - extratime.com
When Wexford FC host Longford Town at Ferrycarrig Park on Friday 2 October 2026 (19:45 kick-off), the SSE Airtricity Men's First Division season enters its decisive closing stretch with plenty still at stake on both sides of the table. This is the fourth league meeting between these two Midlands and South-East rivals in the 2026 campaign alone, and remarkably the away side has won two of the three previous encounters. Wexford, sitting eighth with 40 points from 32 games, are chasing a strong finish to reward their young squad under former Republic of Ireland international Stephen Elliott, while Longford Town arrive in fifth on 44 points, still harbouring outside ambitions of breaking into the promotion conversation before the final whistle blows in October. For readers building a wider weekend slip, our football predictions for tomorrow page covers every fixture across the card.
The narrative of this fixture has flipped repeatedly in 2026. Longford Town won the season opener at Bishopsgate 2-0 in March, claimed a 2-1 victory at Ferrycarrig Park in May, and then came unstuck 2-1 at home in late July when Mikie Rowe and Zak O'Sullivan struck either side of Darragh Murtagh's reply. Wexford's 13-goal top scorer Rowe will be central to everything the hosts attempt, while Longford's Wayne Groves β recently marking his 100th game in charge of the club β has quietly assembled one of the division's most resilient units. The historical head-to-head heavily favours Longford, but the most recent chapter belongs to Wexford, and Friday night under the lights in Crossabeg sets the stage for the final word of the regular season between the pair.
From a betting perspective, this is one of the most intriguing matches on the First Division programme this weekend. The market prices Wexford as slight home favourites despite Longford's five-point advantage in the table, a reflection of home form, Wexford's improved attacking output in September, and the psychological boost of winning the last meeting. Goals have flowed in this rivalry throughout the year β all three 2026 meetings produced at least two goals β and with both teams arriving off mixed recent runs, the match winner will likely be decided by who controls the tempo in midfield. Check our football predictions for today hub for live updated picks, team news and odds movement as kick-off approaches.
Tactical Preview
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Formation & Key Matchups
Wexford FC 4-2-3-1
Stephen Elliott has settled on a disciplined 4-2-3-1 shape for the 2026 season, built on the energy of a young squad blended with the experience of summer arrivals Rhys Bartley from St Patrick's Athletic and Ryan Ritchie from Bohemian FC. Wexford's approach is front-footed without being reckless: the double pivot protects a back four that has conceded 47 goals this term, while the attacking three behind lone striker Mikie Rowe rotate fluidly. Rowe, with 13 league goals, thrives on balls clipped in behind, and Jake Doyle's eight goals from the number ten role give Wexford a genuine dual threat. The 3-1 home dismantling of Cobh Ramblers on 18 September showed the system at its best β quick transitions, aggressive wide play and ruthless finishing. A detailed look at how this system performed against other attacking sides can be found in our Finn Harps vs Wexford preview, where the same structural strengths and weaknesses were on full display.
Longford Town 4-2-3-1
Wayne Groves mirrors the same 4-2-3-1 framework at Longford Town, but his version is more pragmatic and transition-based. Town's eight draws this season underline a side that is difficult to beat: they sit in a mid-block, compress the space between defence and midfield, and attack directly through the channels. Darragh Murtagh has been their talisman against Wexford this year with a goal in the July meeting, while the midfield pairing built around Liam Doyle and Gideon Tetteh supplies both defensive coverage and the first pass forward. Longford's 42 goals scored and 41 conceded β a near-perfectly balanced +1 differential β tell the story of a team that trades punches rather than dictating them. Their ability to frustrate possession sides was evident in the earlier Cork City vs Longford Town preview, where Town repeatedly disrupted the league leaders' rhythm.
Critical Vulnerability
The decisive battleground will be Wexford's left flank against Longford's right-sided transition play. Wexford's full-backs push high when the 4-2-3-1 morphs into a 2-3-5 in possession, and that has left them exposed to quick diagonals β both of Longford's wins over Wexford in 2026 came from turnovers in exactly those wide zones. Conversely, Longford's centre-backs have struggled against physical, mobile strikers who attack the front post, which is precisely Rowe's speciality. Whichever coaching staff adjusts first when the game state shifts will swing this contest. Expect Elliott to instruct his wide men to pin Longford's full-backs deep, denying Town their primary escape route and forcing Groves' side to build through a congested middle third.
Team News & Squad Status
Wexford FC π΄π΄π’π΄π’
- Stephen Elliott has a near full-strength squad to choose from, with only long-term absentees unavailable for the final home fixtures of the 2026 season.
- Mikie Rowe (13 league goals) is fit and firing after scoring in the 3-1 win over Cobh Ramblers and will again lead the line as the focal point of the attack.
- Jake Doyle (8 goals) has shaken off a minor knock and is expected to retain his number ten role behind Rowe.
- Summer recruits Rhys Bartley (from St Patrick's Athletic) and Ryan Ritchie (from Bohemian FC) have bedded in and are pushing for starts in the double pivot.
- Zak O'Sullivan arrives full of confidence after his match-winning strike in the 2-1 victory at Bishopsgate in July.
Longford Town π‘π’π΄π‘π’
- Wayne Groves, contracted at the club until the end of the 2026 campaign, is expected to name an unchanged side from the team that has kept Town in the promotion race.
- Darragh Murtagh remains Town's danger man against Wexford β he scored in the 1-2 home defeat in July and has caused the hosts problems in every meeting this season.
- Gideon Tetteh anchors the midfield and will be tasked with disrupting Wexford's build-up play from the base of the 4-2-3-1.
- Liam Doyle continues in the engine room, with his duel against Wexford's new-look midfield pairing shaping up as the tactical fulcrum of the evening.
- Town report no fresh suspension concerns, though the squad depth will be tested by a congested end-of-season schedule.
Predicted Lineups
| Wexford FC 4-2-3-1 | Longford Town 4-2-3-1 |
|---|---|
| Dylan Higgins (GK) | Michael Kelly (GK) |
| Rhys Bartley (RB) | Dylan Barnett (RB) |
| Adam Wells (CB) | Liam Doyle (CB) |
| Kian Corbally (CB) | Jack Brady (CB) |
| Craig O'Connor (LB) | Dean Williams (LB) |
| Ryan Ritchie (DM) | Gideon Tetteh (DM) |
| Adam Verdon (DM) | Dean Zambra (CM) |
| Zak O'Sullivan (RW) | Aaron McNally (RW) |
| Jake Doyle (AM) | Karl Chambers (AM) |
| Aaron Dobbs (LW) | Adam Wixted (LW) |
| Mikie Rowe (ST) | Darragh Murtagh (ST) |
Head-to-Head Record
Across the full history of this fixture, Longford Town have dominated Wexford: 34 wins to Wexford's 9, with 7 draws from 50 competitive meetings. That historical stranglehold, however, disguises a notable shift in the balance of power over the past two seasons, in which Wexford have claimed several statement results against their midlands rivals. The 2026 series has belonged to the road team in each of the three chapters β Longford winning 2-0 at Bishopsgate in March and 2-1 at Ferrycarrig in May, before Wexford flipped the script with a 2-1 away win in July through Rowe and O'Sullivan. Longford's recent league form guide, including their meetings with the division's other challengers, is covered in our Longford Town vs UCD preview.
Every single meeting between these sides in 2026 has produced at least two goals, and the competitive intensity has been reflected in tight scorelines β the aggregate across the three games reads Longford 5, Wexford 4. Wexford's recent home record in this fixture makes grim historical reading, but their 3-1 dismantling of Cobh Ramblers in their last outing at Ferrycarrig suggests the young squad is learning fast. Supporters wanting the reverse-fixture context can revisit our Wexford vs Cork City preview for a measure of how Elliott's side performs against top-half opposition at home.
Key Players Comparison
The 13-goal striker is Wexford's heartbeat: quick across the first five yards, aggressive at the front post and clinical when chances arrive. He has scored in this fixture already this season and will relish Longford's high defensive line.
Eight goals from the number ten role make Doyle the perfect second weapon. His movement between the lines drags centre-backs out of position, creating the space Rowe exploits.
Town's chief tormentor of Wexford this season with a goal in the July meeting. A hard-running forward who attacks channels and thrives on the direct, transition-heavy football Groves favours.
The individual duel that will decide this match pits Rowe and Doyle's interchanging movement against Longford's centre-back pairing and holding midfielder Gideon Tetteh. If Tetteh can screen the zone between defence and midfield, Longford will starve Wexford's supply lines as they did in May. If Rowe pins the back line and Doyle finds pockets, the hosts have the firepower to win comfortably β something they demonstrated in their Wexford vs Treaty United preview earlier in the campaign. Wexford's creative depth was also on show in the Wexford vs UCD preview, where multiple scorers contributed to a strong home performance.
The Managers
Stephen Elliott β Wexford FC
The former Republic of Ireland international β capped nine times and a Premier League forward with Manchester City, Sunderland and Wolves β was appointed in late 2024 and is guiding Wexford through a clear identity rebuild. His philosophy, forged during his academy work at St Patrick's Athletic, centres on youth development, high-tempo pressing and giving young players a genuine pathway to first-team football. In his first full seasons he narrowly missed the playoffs, and the 2026 campaign has been about converting promise into consistent results, with the thrilling 3-1 win over Cobh Ramblers in September a template for where the project is heading.
Elliott's man-management will be tested in this fixture: his side has lost twice to Longford already this year, and finding a tactical answer to Groves' direct transitions is the final unsolved problem of his season. His willingness to blood summer signings Bartley and Ritchie immediately shows a coach unafraid to trust his recruitment. How he set up against other physical sides is documented in our Athlone Town vs Wexford preview.
Wayne Groves β Longford Town
A UEFA Pro Licence coach and former Longford Town academy head, Groves took the reins on an interim basis in April 2024 and was made permanent weeks later during the club's centenary year. Having recently passed 100 games in charge, he has transformed Town from relegation candidates into a structured, competitive top-five side, with his contract extended to the end of the 2026 campaign in recognition of that progress. His sides are organised, physically committed and dangerous in transition β attributes that have produced two wins over Wexford already this season.
Groves' challenge on Friday is psychological as much as tactical: Longford have lost their last meeting with Wexford and must avoid the complacency that can creep into a side with nothing concrete left to chase. His record of extracting results from tight away fixtures is a hallmark of his tenure, and Town fans will point to performances like those covered in our Kerry vs Longford Town preview as evidence their side travels well.
Betting Predictions & Tips
Odds: 2.15
Everything points toward a Wexford home victory in the final regular-season meeting of this rivalry. Elliott's side are developing strongly at Ferrycarrig, they won the most recent head-to-head, they possess the division's most in-form striking partnership in Rowe and Doyle, and Longford's away intensity has dipped in the autumn run-in. At 2.15 in European decimal odds, the home win offers genuine value against a Longford side whose excellent season is winding down. If you prefer a safety-first alternative, pairing this with the draw insurance via our double chance predictions page is a sensible conservative play, and draw no bet predictions remove the stalemate risk entirely.
Odds: 1.85
All three meetings between these teams in 2026 have cleared two goals, with an average of exactly three goals per game. Wexford's attack is producing freely at home β three goals against Cobh in their last home outing β while Longford have scored in two of the three head-to-heads and play forward-facing football under Groves. Both teams have defensive vulnerabilities: Wexford have conceded 47, Longford's high line invites pressure. The goals market is thoroughly analysed on our dedicated over/under predictions hub, and this fixture profile fits the over template perfectly.
Odds: 1.72
Wexford have kept few clean sheets at home this season, and Longford have found the net in both of their wins over the Youths this campaign. With Rowe and Doyle at one end and Murtagh at the other, both attacks carry consistent goal threat against defences that concede regularly. BTTS has landed in the majority of Wexford's home fixtures this term. Our GG/NG (both teams to score) predictions page tracks the success rate of this market across the league if you want to see the broader statistical trend before staking.
Odds: 2.40
The standout player prop on the board. Rowe has 13 league goals in 2026, has already scored against Longford this season, and takes the majority of Wexford's penalties and set-piece headed opportunities. Against a Longford back line that has kept only a handful of away clean sheets, anytime odds of 2.40 represent excellent value for the division's most reliable home scorer. Anytime scorer betting is a cornerstone of our live betting guide methodology β if the match starts cagey, in-play prices on Rowe typically drift to even bigger numbers.
Odds: 12.00
For those chasing a bigger return, our model projects a 3-1 home win as the single most likely scoreline, mirroring Wexford's 3-1 dismantling of Cobh Ramblers in their last home match. The scenario writes itself: Wexford's press yields an early goal, Longford equalise through a transition as they did in July, before the hosts' superior attacking depth tells late with two further strikes. Small stakes only at 12.00 β correct score betting is high-variance by nature, and our correct score tips page explains staking strategy for exactly this kind of speculative play, while newcomers should first read our guide on how to read betting odds to understand implied probability before placing any wager.
π Final Score Prediction
Match Analysis
Our prediction is a 3-1 home win for Wexford FC. The hosts arrive with momentum from their emphatic 3-1 victory over Cobh Ramblers, the psychological advantage of having won the most recent head-to-head, and the league's most productive home striking partnership in Rowe (13 goals) and Doyle (8). Longford's season, by contrast, has plateaued: they remain a dangerous, organised side under Wayne Groves, but their away performances have flattened as the campaign has worn on, and their high defensive line is precisely the weakness Rowe's movement exploits better than any other forward in the division. Expect Wexford to dominate possession, force errors in the wide areas where Longford's transitions originate, and create enough volume of chances to win comfortably β even accounting for the inevitable Murtagh-inspired consolation on the counter. For a broader statistical framework on how such fixtures typically play out, see our analysis pieces on the key mistakes to avoid in football betting.
The 3-1 scoreline also reflects the recent scoring patterns of both teams: Wexford's home games have averaged comfortably over two goals this season, and three of their last five results featured exactly three goals scored or conceded. Longford, for their part, have scored in the majority of their away fixtures but have rarely kept clean sheets on the road against top-half attacking sides. A goal for the visitors keeps the contest honest deep into the second half, but Wexford's bench energy β a hallmark of Elliott's young squad β should supply the late goals that turn a narrow win into a convincing one. Further context on Wexford's home form this season is available in our Wexford vs Kerry preview and the Bray Wanderers vs Wexford preview, which together map the full arc of the Youths' 2026 home campaign.
Key Insights & Statistics
- Wexford and Longford meet for the fourth time in 2026; the away team has won two of the three previous meetings this season.
- Mikie Rowe has scored 13 First Division goals this season and has already found the net against Longford, making him the man to watch at Ferrycarrig Park.
- Every head-to-head between the sides in 2026 has produced a minimum of two goals β all three matches saw both teams score.
- Longford hold a commanding all-time record of 34 wins to Wexford's 9, with 7 draws across 50 meetings.
- Longford sit 5th on 44 points with a +1 goal difference, while Wexford are 8th on 40 points, four points adrift of their visitors.
- Wexford's last home result was a 3-1 win over Cobh Ramblers β their third-highest scoring output of the season at Ferrycarrig.
- Wayne Groves recently celebrated 100 games in charge of Longford Town and is contracted with the club until the end of the 2026 season.
- Both managers deploy a 4-2-3-1, meaning the midfield duel β Wexford's new-look pivot of Bartley/Ritchie versus Tetteh and Doyle β will decide territorial control.
Conclusion
Wexford FC vs Longford Town closes out the 2026 league series between these old rivals with both clubs still playing for meaningful outcomes. Wexford want to sign off their home campaign in style under Stephen Elliott and lay down a marker for the 2027 season, while Longford Town arrive under Wayne Groves determined to protect their top-five standing and remind the South-East club who has historically ruled this fixture. The ingredients for an entertaining, open contest are all present: two attack-minded 4-2-3-1 systems, in-form forwards on both sides, and a head-to-head record that has delivered goals in every meeting this year.
Our verdict is a 3-1 home victory for Wexford. The combination of Rowe and Doyle gives the hosts a decisive edge in the penalty areas, the memory of July's 2-1 win at Bishopsgate provides the belief, and Longford's flattening away form in the closing weeks tips the balance. The best pick at European odds of 2.15 is the Wexford win, with over 2.5 goals at 1.85 and BTTS at 1.72 forming the value supporting acts. For the brave, Mikie Rowe anytime at 2.40 and the 3-1 correct score at 12.00 complete the betting card.
Whatever happens at Ferrycarrig Park on Friday night, this fixture has been one of the First Division's most reliably entertaining match-ups of 2026 β and with both squads young, ambitious and well-coached, the rivalry is set only to intensify. Keep this page bookmarked for updated tips, and explore the rest of our Irish football coverage β including the Kerry vs Wexford preview for Wexford's previous away assignment β as the season reaches its climax. Bet smart, bet responsibly, and enjoy what promises to be a cracking encounter under the lights in Crossabeg.