Fulham Irish 0-11 Tír Chonaill Gaels 0-08
Fulham Irish claimed their fourth London Senior Football Championship with a three-point win over fellow west Londoners Tir Chonaill Gaels in Ruislip.
Fulham were good value for the win as their decision-making in attack and defence, along with their efficiency in front of the posts, saw them over the line.
Fiontan Eastwood would get Fulham's first score of the match in the second minute with a point from play before Niall O'Leary doubled their advantage.
Looking to end their four-year London Senior Football Championship drought, Tir Chonaill Gaels started slowly but got off the mark when Liam Gavaghan pointed in the eighth minute before he drew the Gaels level at the midway point of the first-half with a free.
Ten minutes before the interval, Kerryman Jack Goulding would restore Fulham’s lead when he opened his account for the day, notching two points inside a minute.
O'Leary picked up his second point of the day as the 2020 champions stretched their advantage out to three.
However, that lead would be wiped out by half-time as two Jamie McCann frees and an Evan Wynne point ensured the teams went in deadlocked at 0-05 apiece.
Another McCann free after the restart saw the Greenford club take the lead for the first time.
Fulham weren't long re-taking the initiative, another O'Leary free and a DJ O'Flaherty restoring their advantage.
They would never lose it again, O'Leary, David Connern and David O'Connor clipping over points to nudge their lead out to a sizable four with the clock running down.
With the 60th minute fast approaching, Tir Chonaill Gaels had just a McCann free to show for their second half effort and never looked like reeling in the deficit.
After slipping five behind, they would at least add two more scores courtesy of McCann and Gavaghan but Fulham held on to win with reasonable comfort, their fourth London SFC title, all won in the past 13 years.
Tir Chonaill Gaels: Gavin McEvoy; James Boyle, Alan Kyne, Phillip Butler; Conor O'Halloran (Captain), Ernan McDonagh, David O’Donnell; Conor Farrell, Fionn Gallagher; Liam Gavaghan(0-03, 0-01f), Jamie McCann (0-04, 0-04f), Kevin Rafferty; Henry Walsh, Connor Faulkner, Evan Wynne (0-01)
Subs: Liam Gallagher for Henry Walsh (36'), Kieran Clarke for Conor Farrell (43’), Matt Moynihan for Fionn Gallagher (57’) Ciaran McKeon (57’)
Fulham Irish: Andrew Walsh; Daire Rooney, Michael Clarke, Paddy Naughton; Fiontan Eastwood (0-02), Danny Buckley, Conor Cox; David O’Connor (0-01), Cormac Hughes; Niall O’Leary (0-04, 0-01f), David Connern (0-01), Liam Turley; Daniel Eastwood, Jack Goulding (0-02, 0-01f), DJ O’Flaherty (0-01)
Subs: Niall Corkery, for David O’Connor (42’), Martin Hughes for Liam Turley (57’), Brian Sheanon for Jack Goulding (60’), Johnny Henry for Daniel Eastwood (62’)
Referee: Colm Lynott (St Clarets, London)
