St Kiernan's have Club Championship history in their sights

Newly crowned senior football champions St Kiernan’s will carve out a special niche for themselves in London GAA folklore, if they can overcome Leitrim’s St Mary’s Kiltoghert at McGovern Park on Saturday.

Since British club teams were admitted into the club championship in 1975, a victory at senior football level – whether that be at All-Ireland  or Connacht Club level - has eluded sides from across the water.  

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Pictures: Willie Donnellan

Last year, Kiernan’s hopes were ended by Tourlestrane. They trailed by a point at the break but the scores dried up in the second half as Tourlestrane ground out a 0-9 to 0-4 win. Significantly, Kiernan's will be able to call on 14 of his starting line up from that day in Sligo.

Keeping the scoreboard ticking was a problem, but the addition of ex-Kerry senior footballer Kevin McCarthy should help with that. Indeed, it was McCarthy who came up with two crucial second half scores in Kiernan’s victory in the replay just as Fulham threatened a fightback. 

While there are no Leitrim connections on the Kiernan’s team, there will be some familiar names to St Mary’s and Leitrim followers. David Carrabine is the older brother of Sligo county player Sean and has represented London.

Midfielder Shane McManus also played senior for both London and Sligo. London-born Tom Waters has also previously togged out for the Exiles.

Kiernan’s are a team greater than the sum of its parts – they work tremendously hard and never know when they’re beaten. 

The full back line of Geoff Kingston (Cork), Caoimhin Carty (Mayo) and Keith Curran (Kerry) were outstanding against Fulham. Mark Mulholland (Down) was on the London Gaelic Masters team which overcame Leitrim Longford in the Challenge Trophy final in September.  

Carrigallen celebrate dramatic Corrib Oil Junior A Final victory - GALLERY

Carrigallen players and supporters celebrated wildly as they came from two points down to defeat St Mary's Kiltoghert in Sunday's Corrib Oil Junior A Championship Final in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada and Observer photographer Willie Donnellan was there to capture some great pictures of the celebrations .... see who you can spot!

William Brazil (Waterford) and Kingston were both engaged last weekend with London senior hurling champions St Gabriels against Mayo’s Tooreen in the Connacht IHC semi-final.

Man of the match in the final replay, Marcus Mangan (Kerry) makes Kiernan’s tick. A willow the wisp with the ball, and a fly in the ointment without it. Captain Eoin Walsh won an All-Ireland U21 title with Galway in 2013 and an Intermediate title with Moycullen two years later.

Farley (Kerry) played a huge role in Kiernan’s 2021 title win, with a late goal in the semi-final to beat Round Towers, and then with the only goal of the final against Fulham.

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Pictures: Willie Donnellan

Walsh and Farley both started for London against Leitrim in this year's Connacht SFC and the Allianz NFL and if it gets tight, Kiernan’s can always call on Joe Rock (Armagh). It was Rock’s last-gasp goal which beat Tir Chonaill Gaels in this year’s county semi-final, and he followed it up with that injury-time green flag to help earn Kiernan’s a replay.

St Kiernan’s feel they have as good a chance as any before them of ending the county’s long wait for a Connacht club victory. If they can, they’ll have achieved something very unique indeed.