All-Ireland JFC semi-final: London come good after marathon encounter

All-Ireland Junior Football Championship semi-final

London 0-15 New York 0-13

After extra time

By Paul Keane at GAA National Games Development Centre, Abbotstown

Finally, a win over New York in the All-Ireland JFC, London have waited a while to be able to say that.

Beaten by New York in the 2024 and 2025 All-Ireland finals, and by a point on each occasion, London finally came out on top, although they required a punishing period of extra time to get over the line.

Just like the earlier semi-final, the sides couldn't be separated after 60 minutes with London coughing up a five-point lead with six minutes to go.

But Paul Coggins' crew made sure of the win in the end, coming good with a series of extra-time points from Conor Redican, Noel Maher, Seán Hickey, Luke Morahan and Shaun McCready to secure their final place.

Truth be told, it wasn't a classic but London won't care after their near misses in recent years at the hands of New York.

Midfielder Maher has given solid service to London in recent years and delivered again with five points in all, including a two-pointer in the first half of extra time.

With the first semi-final, won by USGAA, also going to extra time at the Blanchardstown venue, it remains to be seen just what toll this takes on the two teams ahead of Sunday's decider.

What's certain is that will be an occasion to remember in Croke Park ahead of the sold out All-Ireland SFC semi-final tie between Dublin and Kerry.

London, who secured a three-in-a-row of All-Britain titles last month, will hope to make it All-Ireland junior title number seven having last came out on top in 1986.

Since 2022, the competition has been run as an outlet principally for overseas teams and it will be the first final in that period not to feature New York.

London returned to the All-Ireland series this evening with nine starters from last year's final team and, initially at least, looked like a side desperate for success.

They dominated the opening half and were full value for their 0-7 to 0-1 advantage at half time.

Redican, who struck three points in last month's 1-13 to 1-11 All-Ireland Britain final defeat of Warwickshire, got them going with two early singles.

Then Maher converted a 45 and when Ali Carney fired just over with a goal chance in the 20th minute, London had four points on the board and New York had yet to score.

London did have the breeze behind them but it was still a disappointment from the holders' perspective as they lined out with a dozen players who featured in last year's final win.

Shay McElligott scored their only point of the half in the 22nd minute, from a free won by Lorcan Kennedy.

Whatever difficulties New York suffered in the first half, they seemed to transfer across to London after the restart.

Mick Healy's New York improved significantly too, outscoring London by 0-8 to 0-2 in that half hour or so to shove the game to extra time.

It wasn't a classic, despite the evening sunshine and fast pitch, and London looked like they'd hold on when leading by 0-9 to 0-4 with 54 minutes on the clock.

But McElligott really came alive in the closing minutes, firing three singles and a two-pointer to force the game to extra time at 0-9 apiece.

McElligott's seventh point of the evening put New York ahead early in extra time but Maher's two-pointer was a significant score and London scored three points in a row in the second half to finally seal it.

London scorers: Noel Maher 0-5 (0-2 45, 0-1 tp), Conor Redican 0-3 (0-1f), Caolán Doyle 0-2 (0-2f), Luke Morahan 0-2, Ali Carney 0-1, Seán Hickey 0-1, Shaun McCready 0-1.

New York scorers: Shay McElligott 0-7 (0-4f, 1 tp), Brian Coughlan 0-3 (1 tpf), Jack Gleeson 0-1, Senan Price 0-1, Aaron Traynor 0-1.

London: Caolán Doyle; Ryan McCready, Jack Power, John Lavelle; Luke Morahan, Donncha Byrne, Eoin McGivney; Conor Redmond, Conor Redican; Terry Gallagher, Noel Maher, Matthew Joyce; Shaun McCready, Ali Carney, Seán Gaynor.

Subs: Niall McGivney for Gallagher 35, Alfie McNulty for Gaynor 42, Seán Hickey for Shaun McCready 47, Jamie Murphy for Joyce 48-52, Murphy for Joyce 57. Shaun McCready for Hickey e/t, Joyce for Murphy e/t, Murphy for Redmond 65, Hickey for Carney 67, Eoghan Reilly for Power 76.

New York: Patrick Guerin; Aaron Traynor, Dylan Curran, Páidí Mathers; Ian Kavanagh, Rory O'Riordan, Emmet Loughran; Fintan Corbett, Conor Mathers; Lorcan Kennedy, Chris Mulvihill, Danny Corridan; Jack Gleeson, Brian Coughlan, Shay McElligott.

Subs used: Liam Rafferty for Curran 37, Nicky Lange for Kennedy 42, Tiernan McLoughlin for Mulvihill 43, Seamus Carolan for Corridan 58. Ronan Melly for Mathers e/t, Senan Price for Corbett e/t, Corbett for Kavanagh 67, Kennedy for Loughran 80, Mathers for Carolan 80.

Referee: Ian Howley (Dublin).