London Senior Football Championship Final

ST KIERNANS 1-13 FULHAM IRISH 0-12

By Conor Martin at McGovern Park, Ruislip

St Kiernans claimed their second London Senior Football Championship title with a 1-13 to 0-12 victory over defending champions Fulham Irish at McGovern Park in Ruislip on Sunday.

It was the third time this season a St Kiernans side featured in a championship final. Their London born side lost the London Junior Football Championship Final to West London side St Clarets. While in the curtain raiser to the senior final Fulham Irish defeated St Kiernans in The Reserve Championship Final.

Not wanting to be the third Kiernans team to taste defeat in a championship final this year, Kiernans battled past a tough Fulham Irish side to come out on top.

It was the north Londoners who got the first point of the 2021 final in the third minute. Chris Farley scored from a free as his side took the game to the reigning champions.

Fulham Irish then hit back with a score of their own through Mattie Walsh. Walsh would go on to be one of Fulham’s biggest threats whilst, in the Kiernans colours, Will Brazil was proving to be a handful for Fulham Irish.

The two sides traded point for point in the minutes leading up to the first water break as the first-ever meeting between the sides in the final shaped up to be a thrilling affair.

Thomas Waters and Stefan Mason were doing their bit for their sides whilst Walsh continued to impress alongside Chris Duggan. Walsh scored from a mark to give his side a 0-4 to 0-3 lead before the players enjoyed some H2O refreshment.

Fulham Irish seemed to be the side with their tails up as Walsh pushed out their lead to two points after the drinks break.

But St Kiernans, sensing the game could easily slip away from them, found some rhythm and Paul O’Farrell, Will Brazil and Marcus Managan kept their side in the hunt for a first senior championship since 2016 as St Kiernans put pressure on their opponents but trailed by a point at the break.

A flashpoint between both sets of players as they made their way to their dressing-rooms at half-time resulted in five red-cards being handed out at the start of the second half with Keith Curran and Thomas Waters dismissed for St. Kiernan's, and Paddy Naughton, Chris Duggan, and Ruaidhri O'Connor dismissed for Fulham Irish.

Now with a numerical advantage, St Kiernans, drew level with two successive points.

James Moran then found the posts to put Kiernans ahead before Farley rattled the net after finding himself in space with 45 minutes on the clock to push out their lead to four.

Liam Staunton, Eoin Kilcommins and David O’Connor were keeping their side in it, but the Kiernans machine was rolling and Fulham's efforts were starting to look like they were in vain.

St Kiernans kept the scoreboard ticking over to win only their second senior title. Their hard-working performance was the perfect tribute to the late Brendan Moyles, a St Kiernan’s club stalwart who would be undoubtedly proud of his club's victory.

Scorers for St Kiernans: Chris Farley 1-4, Marcus Mangan 0-2, Padriag O’Shea 0-2, Thomas Waters 0-1, Paul O’Farrell 0-1, Will Brazil 0-1, Aodhran Girven 0-1, James Moran 0-1.

Scorers for Fulham Irish: Mattie Walsh 0-3, Stefan Mason 0-3, Liam Staunton 0-2, Eoin Kilcommins 0-1, David O’Connor 0-1, Daire Rooney 0-1, Michael Murphy 0-1.

ST KIERNANS: Mark Roche; Geoff Kingston, Paul O’Farrell, Keith Curran, Mark Mullholland, Eoin Walsh, David Carabine, Shan McManus, James Moran, Thomas Waters, Chris Farley, Caoimhim Carthy, Will Brazil, Kenny O’Connor, Marcus Mangan Subs: Padriag O’Shea for Kenny O’Connor, Mark Rowland for Paul O’Farrell, Aodhran Girven for Will Brazil.

FULHAM IRISH: Johnny Tavey; Owen Costello, Conor Hyde, Paddy Naughton, Ronan Sloane, Rory O’Connor, Daire Rooney, David O’Connor, Charles O’Doherty, Stefan Mason, Mattie Walsh, Chris Duggan, Dave Connern, Michael Murphy, Liam Staunton Subs: Emmett Costello for Conor Hyde, Eoin Kilcommins for Charles O’Doherty, Douglas Lynch for David O’Connor, Martin Hughes for Michael Murphy

Referee: Gavin Dixon