Wexford vs Longford Prediction & Betting Tips (2 October)

Wexford FC welcome Longford Town to Ferrycarrig Park on Friday 2 October 2026 for a crunch SSE Airtricity Men's First Division clash, with the 2026 season entering its decisive final stretch. Just five points separate fourth from eighth in the table, so both sides have plenty to play for: Longford are pushing hard for a promotion playoff place, while Wexford are determined to defend their home turf and climb away from the lower half. Wexford's form has been mixed of late — they fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat away to Kerry last Friday despite a battling display with ten men, and were beaten 1-3 at home by Finn Harps earlier in the month, though that slip was sandwiched by an impressive 3-1 home win over Cobh Ramblers. Longford, meanwhile, arrive in decent shape after a 1-0 win at Finn Harps, a stunning 5-0 home thrashing of the same opposition in August, and a narrow 2-1 defeat at Athlone, though they did lose 0-1 at home to Finn Harps back in March and were beaten 2-1 by Wexford at Bishopsgate in July.

Looking at the squad carried into the 2026/2027 season, Wexford will be built around captain and top scorer Mikie Rowe (11 league goals), with Jake Doyle (9 goals) his chief partner in attack, supported by the creative trio of Jamie Wynne, Ryan Ritchie and Kian Dignam in midfield, and a defensive unit featuring Robert McCourt, Rhys Bartley and Max Murphy in front of goalkeeper Paul Martin. The hosts are sweating over the availability of Kaylem Harnett, who was shown a straight red card in the closing stages at Mounthawk Park and is a major doubt through suspension. Longford Town counter with a settled side of their own: Kian Moore between the posts, a back line marshalled by Taylor McCarthy, Cole Omorehionwan and Jake Hough, a hard-working midfield of Daniel McKenna, Pharrell Manuel and Andy Paraschiv, and an attacking spearhead led by Aaron Doran, Dean Williams and Daragh Murtagh, whose goals have kept Town in the playoff hunt all season.

The head-to-head record makes fascinating reading this season, with the previous two league meetings both ending 2-1 — Longford took the points at Ferrycarrig Park in May, before Wexford gained revenge at Bishopsgate in July — so home advantage has counted for little between these two. In European (decimal) odds, the bookmakers have Wexford priced as slight favourites at around 2.30 for the home win, the draw at 3.40, and a Longford victory at 2.90, with Over 2.5 goals offered at 1.75 and Under 2.5 at 2.05 — prices that reflect how evenly matched the sides are, but also Wexford's habit of producing goals at home in this fixture, where both of this season's meetings delivered three or more goals.

Our prediction: Wexford 3-1 Longford. With both teams committed to attack and neither defence convincing of late — Wexford have conceded in most home games, while Longford have shipped goals in each of their last away trips — we expect an open, entertaining contest at Ferrycarrig Park. Wexford's extra motivation to bounce back from the Kerry defeat, the goalscoring form of Rowe and Doyle, and Longford's tendency to concede chances on the road should see the hosts edge it, and a 3-1 correct score at attractive European odds of around 11.00 looks the value play for this First Division showd