London recorded their first GAA Championship win since 1977 as they claimed the scalp of Fermanagh in the first round of the All-Ireland football qualifiers at Ruislip.
The Exiles’ first ever victory in the qualifiers was founded on a strong first-half display, during which they showed plenty of endeavour and desire to win.
Fermanagh, hoping to bounce back from a heavy provincial defeat to Derry, looked lethargic at times and were second best for most of this encounter.
A shock result was on the cards when Paul Coggins’ London side went in at half-time 0-09 to 0-01 to the good. On the down side, they had registered seven wides and hit the woodwork twice.
Points from Padraig McGoldrick and Eoin O’Neill set the wind-backed Londoners on their way, with Tomás Corrigan notching Fermanagh’s only response.
John O’Flanaghan struck 0-05 for the Ernesiders in a much more competitive second period, but a late run of scores from Ciaran McCallion, Killian Phair and Cathal O’Sullivan booked London’s place in the second-round draw.
Fermanagh manager John O’Neill predicted ‘a dogfight’ and his assistant Syl Mulrone spoke beforehand about the sole target of ‘just being in front at the final whistle’.
London knew that their heroics in almost knocking Mayo out of the Connacht Championship would count for little if they failed to produce a follow-up performance.
And with a steady breeze behind them they duly hit the ground running here, knocking over three points in the opening nine minutes through Connacht men McGoldrick and O’Neill (0-02).
In humid conditions, corner-forward Kevin O’Leary clipped over the fourth but the Exiles’ early advantage could have been more - they hit five wides in the first quarter-hour.
Paul Geraghty, the Man of the Match against Mayo, stretched the lead in the 25th minute and fellow Galway man Mark Gottsche followed suit four minutes later.
London hurried their shots on some occasions, but they were on top in most facets of play and kept Fermanagh pinned back as they flooded forward.
Fermanagh drew breath and set up Corrigan for a much-needed 31st-minute score, making it 0-06 to 0-01 on the scoreboard.
But O’Leary, rock-solid centre-back Tony Gaughan and O’Neill (free) soon found the target to put eight points between the sides at the break. All bar one of London’s first-half scores came from play.
When these sides met in the Allianz League in April, Fermanagh claimed a 0-14 to 0-08 victory at Brewster Park. However, London have strengthened their panel considerably since then and their hunger to break their Championship duck was written all over this performance.
John O’Flanaghan and O’Neill (free) exchanged points at the start of the second half, and two more from Brian Óg Maguire and O’Flanaghan (free) showed Fermanagh were up for the fight.
With the wind increasing in strength, the visitors were winning more ball around the middle - captain Barry Owens was moved there - and making better use of it, with O’Flanaghan cancelling out a McCallion point.
O’Flanaghan took his tally to 0-04 as London’s advantage was cut to 0-11 to 0-06 with 20 minutes remaining, yet there were no signs of the Exiles panicking and a surefooted score from McGoldrick kept them on course for victory.
Daniel Kille and O’Flanaghan punished some indiscipline with back-to-back pointed frees, reducing the arrears to four with nine minutes to go.
Nevertheless, London, maintaining a high work-rate around the pitch, closed the door on Fermanagh’s comeback bid with three galvanising scores.
McCallion, Cavan native Phair and O’Sullivan reeled them off to confirm a famous and thoroughly deserved triumph for London over their Division 4 rivals.
