London GAA team got ‘bad news' at Dublin Airport but ended up enjoying ‘stroke of luck' after Christy Ring Cup triumph
A spanner was thrown in the works for the Exiles' celebrations as
2
London came out on top as 1-27 to 1-24 winners over Derry in Croke Park
2
The St. Gabriel's clubman delivered as manager of London
London manager Neil Rogers took to the
The London boss said: "You wouldn't believe the stroke of luck we got
"We were in the airport Sunday, 40 of us in a queue ready to board a flight.
"Our flight was at 2:30pm on Sunday and the guy was there giving us our boarding cards, and he dissappeared for about five minutes.
Read more on GAA
"He came back and he said : "Lads I have bad news. We've oversold the flight. You can't go back, you've got to stay tonight.
"We were thinking lovely, bank holiday Sunday in Dublin.
"Thanks very much, no problem. We'll fly tomorrow
"They put us all up in a hotel, booked us all on flights again for Monday. Yeah it was brilliant, it was great."
Most read in GAA Hurling
'Unfortunately' for the Exiles, they had to stay in Dublin another night.
Derry beat London in the round robin stage but trailed London virtually throughout this time.
Tipperary GAA star 'had to do live apology on RTE' the day after cursing during All-Ireland interview -
Devine's 13th minute goal put three between them at that stage and was expertly taken.
Sean Glynn did the spadework with a powerful run through the centre before laying off to his left for Devine to volley home.
Glynn and Dylan Dawson added points to leave London still three clear at half-time, 1-15 to 1-12.
Thomas Brady hit the Derry goal, a bullet finish after a precise pass from John Mullan.
The Oak Leafers enjoyed their best period in the third quarter and briefly led at 1-20 to 1-19.
Eamon Conway came strongly into the game for them with four second-half points from play.
But London's six points in a row proved decisive and gave them a vital cushion in the home straight.
Still, Derry did have one last chance at the finish to score a goal which would have rescued a draw and forced extra-time.
Cormac O'Doherty drilled a free at the goal but London cleared the danger and took the silverware.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Joe Canning is a big fan of a Tipp star, labels him a 'tank'
Joe Canning is a fan of Darragh McCarthy who, scoring 1-13 in the final, played a key role in the Premier's 2025 All Ireland Galway's finest can't resist noting the Toomevara points-machine's first season didn't quite take 'flight' the way his own first season began. Sure, Canning's 2007 and McCarthy's 2025 ended in universal agreement that a star was born but only one of the campaigns began by aeroplane! READ MORE: All-Ireland winner's team granted replay in GAA county final after new rules blunder READ MORE: Exclusive: Davy Fitzgerald makes up his mind on his Antrim future "Yeah, Darragh's first season reminds me a bit of mine, I was 19 as well, so same kind of thing," says Canning. "But I don't know if he flew to his first championship game like we did - Ger Loughnane had us flying from Galway to Belfast for our match with Antrim. "Special times you'd love to do it all again, you know, when you are young and starting off but it's a little bit different now than when I was doing it."Social media wasn't as big then and the scrutiny wasn't as big so it's a lot harder, unfortunately, for players now when everybody has an opinion." Canning played against McCarthy this week in the Hurling for Cancer Research charity game and was impressed by the Tipp youngster's physicality - and his resilience as demonstrated on the road to Croker. 2025 GAA All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final, Croke Park, Tipperary's Darragh McCarthy scores his goal (Image: ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo) "He was in the other dressing room so I didn't really get to chat with him but just the first time he walked past me earlier on, he's a serious tank of a young fellow now so I'd say he'd be well able to look after himself."It's never nice when you get sent off and stuff like that so it was great for him then to perform in an All Ireland final and score that 1-13."The world is his oyster now, winning an under-20 and winning the senior in one year. "It's always nice to see when the ending is better than the beginning almost, so it was great for the likes of him as well that he performed in the final having been, maybe, sent off twice in the year. "Sometimes, though, it's hard to stay at that level. It's not going to be like that every year unfortunately but he's got good lads around him and they will look after him."McCarthy's performance was integral to the decider's excitement, 2025 was a memorable final."At half-time half time everybody, and I'm sure all of the Tipperary supporters probably too, thought Cork had it and you couldn't foresee the second half, if you're being honest about it. "But what Tipperary did in the second-half was a phenomenal performance and thoroughly deserved, you know. "So it was a funny little All Ireland but fair play to Tipperary they turned up and got the result." It will also go down as a final that will resonate countrywide ahead of next season's call to arms. "I think Tipp winning has given everybody a good lift, if you look at last year and Tipp not getting out of Munster and now they are All Ireland champions. "If you were anybody else that maybe hasn't gone on so well last year and this year, you look at that and go typically 'why can't we do it?'."Now, it's not as simple as that but it gives you hope because when the underdog wins, it always gives all the rest of the teams a boost."Canning admits to having enjoyed the Tipperary win in certain ways."I suppose it's funny, you are always kinda rooting for the older guys, I suppose so for Noel (McGrath) and all the older guys who had obviously soldiered for so long, it's great. "On the other hand, you'd obviously love to see Robert Downey and 'Hoggie' (Patrick Horgan), these guys kind of win an All Ireland as well. "When you're out of it, and I am out three or four years now, you like to see good hurlers win and great hurlers, I think."Canning's return to playing wasn't as far off the pace as many might imagine, he is still playing club championship hurling - he could still do a job on the Galway bench!But given the Hurling for Cancer Research game featureed such as Darragh O'Donovan, Chris Crummy, Lee Chin, TJ Reid, Robert Downey, Noel McGrath, Brendan Maher, Darragh McCarthy and Patrick Horgan among a host of others, it was an incredible celebration of Canning: "Obviously you are raising huge funds for charity so obviously there's enjoyment in that and you're playing with guys, I suppose, that you'd normally play against, it's not every day I get to tog out with TJ Reid and pass them a few balls and stuff like that so that's cool enough."But it's more than the sport, obviously it's linking charity and sport. Every family knows somebody down through the years that's suffering and everybody suffers, unfortunately, with cancer."So I marvel at the way Davey Russell and Jim Bolger and everybody involved over the last few years have brought this on. It's phenomenal what they've achieved and you can see what sport can add - it's great."There were others such as Rachael Blackmore, Paul Townend and Barry Geraghty from horse racing, footballer Stephen Hunt is a regular attender and while Paul McGrath didn't play he was available for some selfies and autographs.A good night was had by all? "Oh, yeah, I'm still the same as anybody else, I'm interested in all sports," admits Canning. So when you see world famous athletes that have done it all, like Rachael Blackmore or anybody like that, it's always a 'pinch me' moment."Or you see Barry Geraghty there, you would have followed him all your life, he is a top class jockey. "So, yeah, anybody like that and, for me, getting a little rattle in the game off Davey Russell (who plays as a grizzley full-back), there's no harm in it either - we'd know Davey well, he's married to a good Portumna woman so we have half a claim on him up home!" Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email .
The 42
7 hours ago
- The 42
Open letter signed by players calls on GAA to end sponsorship deal with Allianz
AN OPEN LETTER was presented to the GAA yesterday at a protest outside Croke Park, calling on the association to end its sponsorship arrangements with insurance company Allianz. It's reported that over 800 current and former GAA players have signed the letter due to links between Allianz and Israel. Advertisement Letter signed by over 800 GAA former and current players was handed into GAA HQ this afternoon - as part of 'Drop Allianz' Campaign. Allianz's business relationships with Israel are enabling the genocidal and apartheid Israeli regimes across Palestine. — Irish Sport for Palestine (@Sport4Palestine) August 20, 2025 A report published on the website of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights at the UN listed Allianz among companies and corporations that was buying Israeli treasury bonds, which, the report argues, play a 'critical role in funding the ongoing assault on Gaza'. The report was written by UN special rapporteur (independent human rights expert) on Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese. The 42 contacted the GAA for comment but did not receive a response at time of publication. Allianz, in a statement to The 42, said: 'Our long-standing partnership with the GAA is about supporting Irish sport and communities. 'Allianz Ireland is part of a global group, and while the wider group operates internationally across insurance and investment, as a matter of principle we do not comment on individual customers or business matters. 'What we can say is that all Allianz business decisions are guided by strict legal standards and world-leading ESG principles.'
The Irish Sun
8 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
GAA final ordered for replay after awkward new gaelic football rules blunder that was caught on live stream
Both incidents were captured on camera TWO CLOSE GAA final ordered for replay after awkward new gaelic football rules blunder that was caught on live stream ERNE GAELS and victors Derrygonnelly Harps have been ordered to replay their Fermanagh SFL Division 1 decider. An Erne Gaels objection to two separate two-pointers awarded to Harps late on in last Sunday's match proved successful. Harps fought back to beat Belleek outfit Gaels to the title, winning 0-17 to 0-15 at Brewster Park. But a review of video footage confirmed that two-point scores struck in the 57th and 58th minutes were actually kicked from within the 40m arc. Advertisement The Fermanagh CCC stated that 'two scores allowed during the course of the game were incorrectly recorded' and that they 'affected the result'. It is a ruling that will be noted nationwide and will inevitably be raised by any other clubs taking similar appeals.
