Impressive first win for London against Lancashire

An all London-born team won their first championship game today, in their bid to bring the county its first All-Britain Football title in 12 years.

London GAA, celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2021, sought Croke Park permission earlier this year for its Junior inter-county team to be exclusively built from homegrown players.

Due to the pandemic and the senior teams unable to travel to Ireland, Stephen Lynch's side are the only London inter-county team in competitive action this year.

And the side, represented by six London clubs, did the county proud, with the special 125th anniversary commemorative jerseys getting their debut on the pitch in Pairc na hEireann today, as they ran out 1-13 to 0-9 winners against Lancashire.

After the game London chairperson Donal Corbett said: "In our 125th year it’s time we are represented by a London born team at adult level.

"For our players this is a great achievement as players and because they are playing  the game their parents and grandparents instilled and handed down to them.

"This championship is also a great achievement for their London clubs and club coaches.

"London GAA is about promoting our games and this is about the greatest way we can do it.

"Congratulations to players and team management,we now look forward to our next game on Saturday 19th in McGovern Park against Warwickshire.

"Great appreciation to our sponsor ROL Construction Limited."

London junior team sponsor ROL Construction kindly gave permission for the commemorative jersey, based on London's 1901 All-Ireland winning side's kit, to be used without its company logo in the main sponsor position in order to further commemorate the 125th anniversary.

London play Warwickshire in McGovern Park next Saturday (June 19th) at 1pm, before facing Scotland in their final group game in Glasgow on June 27th.

If they keep up their run of form, they will qualify for the semi-finals on July 10th.

Warwickshire beat Scotland 2-9 to 0-8 in York earlier in the afternoon.

Man of the match: Ryan Kearney
The Tir Chonaill Gaels man's composure in front of the posts gave London the drive to widen the gap against Lancashire. Moments after scoring a free, he did brilliantly to win posession from the opposition on the 45 line, before executing an inch-perfect pass in to his full-forward, St Kiernans' Caolan Doyle. Doyle claimed the mark and possession ended up back to Kearney who slotted his goal away with no hesitation following an earlier crossbar deflection. It came just after the first water break to give London the lead, which they never lost again.

Score of the game: Rhys Lennon's drive through the middle of the pitch linked him up with St Kiernans teammate Matthew Joyce, and an instinctive one-two between the pair gave Lennon enough space to kick a beauty of a point over from the half-forward line. 

Today's starting team: Kieran Cunningham (Tir Chonaill Gaels), Eoghan Reilly (Parnells), Harry Flanagan (North London Shamrocks), David Kennedy (Tir Chonaill Gaels), Brendan Rice (Tir Chonaill Gaels), Rhys Lennon (St Kiernans), Matthew Tierney (St Kiernans), Sean McCabe (Tara), Caoimhin Cronin (Tir Chonaill Gaels) Ryan McReady (Tir Chonaill Gaels), Patrick O'Connor (Tir Chonaill Gaels), Matthew Joyce (St Kiernans), Sean McReady (Tara), Caolan Doyle (St Kiernans), Ryan Kearney (Tir Chonaill Gaels)

Subs: Jamie Murphy (Parnells), Paddy Burke (Tir Chonaill Gaels), Ciaran Clarke (Tir Chonaill Gaels), Conor Mccarthy (Tir Chonaill Gaels), Thomas Sears (North London Shamrocks), James Carry (Tara), James Carry (Tara), Conor Spanish (Parnells), Niall Clare (Thomas McCurtains)

Match report in the Irish World this week