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Homegrown Liam Gavaghan enjoying London adventure

Ruislip is the venue for Sunday's Connacht senior football Championship Quarter-Final as London host Leitrim - ahead of the game, GAA.ie hears from London captain Liam Gavaghan and Leitrim's Donal Wrynn as both give an insight into the mood in their respective camps and how they see Sunday's game going.

By Cian O'Connell

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Liam Gavaghan smiles when asked whether his boss on the London Underground knows about the importance of the inter-county game. "I don't think so, I think he thinks I'm crazy," Gavaghan chuckles. "He knows how dedicated I am to it and the sacrificies you have to make to play at this level so he knows about that."

Due to the Ruislip redevelopment London played all seven Allianz Football League Division Four fixtures away from home in 2017.

It ensured Gavaghan, who predominantly works nights, had to try to alter his schedule during the spring. "He doesn't really understand it or get it and he might be asking me to work on a Sunday night, but I can't because I'm in Ireland so he doesn't get it," Gavaghan states. 

"There are a few in the hierarchy who are of Irish descent and they know about Gaelic Football so they understand it."

Gavaghan was born and raised in London by his parents, Liam and Margaret, who hail from Tourlestrane and Swinford respectively before crossing the Irish Sea in 1988.

Gaelic Football always mattered to Gavaghan, who started with St Claret's before switching to Tir Chonaill Gaels due to a lack of playing numbers at his age group. With TCG Gavaghan joined a club that remain serious competitors in the London SFC.

So why did Gavaghan opt to choose Gaelic Football ahead of other sports growing up? "I think I was more into it, I preferred it as a game, even watching it I preferred it and coming from an Irish family it was always on TV so it just came to me really," Gavaghan answers. 

"I pursued that because my family was into it. My friends were into soccer and going to school they didn’t understand Gaelic Football, but I kept going at it and I’m here today."

Now Gavaghan, who captains London this year, is an established homegrown player alongside Philip Butler and Adrian Moyles.

"Philip Butler, Adrian Moyles and myself would be the more experienced players on the team," Gavaghan remarks about the London born players involved. "We have plenty of lads coming through at underage.

"Me and Philip Butler play for TCG we played the same age group and Adrian Moyles plays for St Kieran’s he was a couple of years ahead of us, but we all played together and we know each other quite well."

Liam Gavaghan in action during the 2016 Connacht SFC clash against Mayo.

Liam Gavaghan in action during the 2016 Connacht SFC clash against Mayo.

Manager Ciaran Deely has shown a real willingness to introduce homegrown players into the panel during the past 18 months. "Definitely with Ciaran and the management that is one of their big emphasis to bring in more London born players," Gavaghan admits. 

"I think the more London born players you have in the panel it brings more stability because obviously Irish lads their first call is work really and they could be gone the year after. 

"Following London through the years the team changes quite a lot year in year out and if you have a core group of London lads you know they’ll be around for five six or seven years. It creates better stability.

"Underage wise when I was growing up it was more parents coaching teams, but now the County Board have more of a system in place where they go out to coach in schools and promote it a lot more.

"So in the next five years I think we’ll definitely see more English born lads come through."

Despite making his London debut six years ago under Paul Coggins, Gavaghan wasn't involved in the 2013 when the Exiles reached the Connacht SFC Final.

"I missed that and what they did that year was great," Gavaghan recalls.

"Talking to lads like Phil Butler, he was involved, and it gave me an itch to come back, what they created that year: the team environment and team bond was great and we are trying to emulate that. Watching that on TV I was itching to get back involved."

Since returning to the London fold Gavaghan has occupied a central role in the white and green shirt.