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Gaels closing in on title triumph
2007 LONDON SFC UPDATE
The race for the London Senior Football Championship title is entering
its final stages, and defending champions St. Brendans look to have a
battle on their hands to retain their crown.
Equally as interesting as the race for the title will be the battle for
survival against relegation to the Intermediate grade. Although Harlesden
Harps, who have yet to win a game, are odds on for the drop it’s
far from certain who will be joining them.
The final relegation place should be quite a contest between newly-promoted
Fulham Irish and 2003 champions and last year’s defeated finalists
Tara.
Although still unbeaten Tir Chonaill Gaels (TCG) and Kingdom Kerry Gaels
(KKG) have set the pace in this year’s Championship. Both sides
are also sure to be adversely affected by their long spell of championship
inactivity.
However if the current bookies’ odds are any indication of the destination
of this year’s title then Tir Chonaill Gaels will be back at the
top of London football after an absence of just one year. TCG were also
well fancied for back-to-back titles this time last year before the club
was rocked by the sudden death of their chairman Andy Duffy.
While Kingdom Kerry Gaels have improved considerably since last season’s
disappointing performance there is still quite a gulf in class between
themselves and TCG. In addition to the emergence of some promising London-born
players as Billy O’Mahoney, Tommy Moriarty and Chris Moroney, TCG
have also been bolstered by the recruitment of some exceptionally talented
players in Dara Kinneavey, James O’Connell, David O’Brien
and dual star Fergus McMahon.
Although TCG have also lost Donegal star Paddy McConigley, their defence
still looks quite formidable and more than a match for any opposing forwards
in London.
The only real disappointment of the recent draw is that it has given the
remainder of the Championship a rather lopsided look.
A promising Round Towers team will fancy their chances of a place in the
semi-final after being drawn against St. Clarets. The Hayes side have
recovered well since a heavy opening round defeat by TCG but an improving
Towers side should progress to meet KKG.
However the other quarter-final pairing between holders St. Brendans and
Parnells looks far more evenly matched and it will certainly be difficult
to predict the result.
Parnells are not short of ability but they are prone to inconsistency
as witnessed by their alarming collapse against Round Towers earlier this
season.
Assuming Brendans have a fully-fit squad they have an excellent chance
of booking a semi-final place.
THE DRAW: Quarter-finals: St. Brendans v Parnells; Round Towers v St.
Clarets. Semi-finals: Kingdom Kerry Gaels v Round Towers or St. Clarets;
Tir Chonaill Gaels v St. Brendans or Parnells. |
