By Cian O’Connell

Paul Coggins has afforded a lifetime service to sport, but the passion still burns.

This weekend Coggins will be the line as Tir Chonaill Gaels and Fulham Irish replay what promises to be an interesting London decider.

The drawn game wasn’t short on intrigue, but Coggins acknowledges that it was a case of so near, but yet so far away from glory as Owen Mulligan’s last gasp score forced a draw.

“I think both teams would see it that way,” Coggins says. “In the last few minutes when there was a good five minutes left in the game between injury time and everything. Five minutes is plenty of time and when you only have one score between you with the last kick of the game you know it is close.

“Fulham had created a goal chance previous to that and it just went wide. They really put a lot of pressure on our kickout and they won the frees. It was just one of them things, we have learned from it.

“Hopefully it will be a good experience for us, it could have been a bad experience, but I think it will turn out to be a good experience for us. We have got to learn from that as I hope the players will and we will go at it again on Sunday.”

Coggins, who enjoyed a successful stint as London boss, famously steering the Exiles to the Connacht Final in 2013, believes the strength of the club game is increasing in the city.

“I would think that, I definitely would,” Coggins responds immediately. “It is my first year in senior club management since 2009. Obviously I've been around the scene and that with London and in the last couple of years I was just involved with the Junior set-up at Tir Chonaill Gaels.

“I have seen a lot of good quality out there this year. I think there is a lot of young London born players from a lot of clubs coming through. A lot is being done and there is good organisation. It would be better if they could get more games, certainly that is an issue, whether it is a financial issue, but you see players dropping off at a certain age because there is a lack of competition and games.

“That is definitely a problem from the age of 17. We have looked at that as a club and that is why we put in an all London and British born team into the Junior Championship and have been for the last few years.

“We got over the line this year to win a Championship. Seven or eight of them lads are not just part of the main senior squad, but the majority of them are on the team. People like the Butlers, Liam Gavaghan, Gavin McEvoy, Ryan Elliott all London county players, and it is great to have them involved.

“Between that and the mixture of the Irish lads, who have been here for many years because you don't see them drifting away in our club or in the Fulham club. You have players in the London scene for the last six or seven years.

“They are not dropping away after one year, you always might see the odd one coming in, but that improves every club and every team. You can keep players longer and lads are staying longer doing alright job wise. I think London is in a very good place and hopefully that will drive on to the county team again too.”

During his stint in charge of London Coggins demonstrated a real willingness to promote the homegrown players and Ciaran Deely is similarly minded. That is why it is so important to develop talent in London according to Coggins.

“Absolutely, it wouldn't survive without it and other clubs need to really look at it,” Coggins states. “You have to have that and it is what is happening all around the place now.

“It is very positive, I think even this year you'll have a bigger influx of young London born players brought into the county squad just to develop them further and to give them experience with the senior squad.

“I know Ciaran would be definitely looking at that option which is a very positive way to go. It may take a bit of time, but they are all fine players, they are really going well in our set-up at club level.

“They are pushing the other players to better performances. I can see it in other clubs, Kiernan's have a very good set-up, Parnells are very strong and may look at joining the Junior Championship for the first time with an all British born team, I know they are looking at it. That can only improve the skills and the London set-up.”

After stepping down as London manager Coggins enjoyed a productive stint with TCG’s Junior team, a role that the Roscommon native thoroughly enjoyed.

“When I got a hold of them they were raw, but they had the talent,” Coggins comments. “They had to maybe work on areas such as commitment for a start, total commitment to the cause if they wanted to be successful. In fairness to them they put in a massive effort for the first couple of years and we got to the final the first year and lost by a point to a last minute penalty.

“That team stuck together and they really do stick together. Very few were lost and added to that you had lads coming through from minor level. Again this year you had young Sean Rice and Lorcan Redmond, who were just too young for a year or two, but they came through this year. Overall they accepted me as their manager and I think hopefully they took a small bit of heed of me and what I was trying to say.

“This year we changed it in that we had both squads training together for most of the season from the start. In the last couple of years maybe they weren't ready for that, but this year they all trained together.

“I think it was great for both squads and it certainly improved the Junior squad, training and being around the senior players, watching them in practice games. It was a win-win situation for the club and both squads.

“I think Tir Chonaill Gaels are in a very good position for the years to come as long as they keep getting competitive football.”

Satisfaction can be gleaned from being involved with Tir Chonaill Gaels, who remain a progressive club in London. “I don't know about pleasure, but it is no less a challenge, and definitely no less work than a county team,” Coggins admits.

“It is no secret, that is the way I work. So we put just as much into it. We get great back up from a great club with a great Chairman Tom Mohan, who backs me and my beliefs, and my thoughts 100 per cent. It is fantastic to have that. It is like everything in life, it is results driven. The same as anything.

“We have won three cups this year, but without any shadow of a doubt we need a big performance on Sunday and as I always say the outcome will take care of itself. I'm just looking to make these lads physically and mentally prepared for Sunday's replay to try to repay back the club for their commitment.

“They want success and we have always been a successful club, but Fulham Irish also want success and they are a fine, fine club with a fine team. It was a fantastic game last Sunday with some of the best fielding around. There is nothing wrong with Gaelic Football when you see that sort of a game.

“You don't have to be in zones and this and the other. It was good attacking football with a lot of really good defence too.”

Coggins keeps a close eye on how Michael Glaveys are faring following a thrilling 2017 adventure which culminated in Roscommon and Connacht Intermediate glory.

“I always keep very close and I was happy that they stayed in the Senior Championship which was the main thing to do after coming up from Intermediate,” is Coggins’ assessment.

“It can be very hard to follow up in the second year, as I well know, after a successful first year. They had a quick turnaround and were playing games a week or two after playing the All Ireland Final.

“They did very well. They lost to Castlerea in the last group game, to comeback then the follow week to win the relegation play/off showed a lot of character.

“They have a really good young squad, I hope Ian Daly stays on. I know he has been there quite a while, but to have somebody of his quality and knowledge is extremely important.

“They can drive on again next year, to learn from what they learned this year. It is great to see your home club doing so well and we want to be in Senior Championship in Roscommon.

“We have got some good players, who will be driving towards the Roscommon county team this year and it all looks positive there.” That is Coggins’ outlook to Gaelic Football. Possibilities always exist and that is why the upcoming encounter involving the two current forces in London, TCG and Fulham Irish, will be worth monitoring.