London getting into their stride

London boss Eamonn Phelan says competition for starting places is hotting up after they demolished Mayo by 15 points.

There were debuts for Tipperary’s Lee Mackey and former Westmeath captain Brian Smyth against the Westerners, although the latter could face a spell on the sidelines after suffering a shoulder injury.

Mackey, however, impressed, as did captain Colm Quinn, while Martin Finn fired 1-6 in his first game of the year following knee surgery.

Finn’s 16th-minute goal put London in control after a roaring start, but indiscipline allowed Kenny Feeney to drag Mayo back into contention, his trio of late frees cutting their deficit to three points (1-6 to 0-6) at the break.

A fortuitous Quinn goal eight minutes after the restart put the game beyond Mayo, before Henry Vaughan cracked home a third after Mayo goalkeeper Donal O’Brien had blasted a penalty over the bar. Feeney grabbed a consolation goal late on, but London finished strongly with a flurry of points.

Scorers for London: M Finn 1-6 (4f), C Quinn 1-3, H Vaughan 1-2, P Sloane 0-4, K Bolger 0-2, E Cooney 0-1.

Scorers for Mayo: K Feeney 1-8 (8f), C Freeman, D O’Brien (pen) 0-1 each.

LONDON: T Williams; E Walsh, B Costello, G Fennelly; M Walsh, PJ Rowe, L Mackey; C Quinn, K Bolger; P Sloane, B Smyth, H Vaughan; T Dunne, M Finn, L Hand.

Subs: S Ryan for Smyth (ht), K Walsh for Dunne (50), D Maher for Hand (52), M Ryan for Walsh (59), E Cooney for Finn (63).

MAYO: D O’Brien; A Brennan, A Connolly, S Connell; S Morley, D McConn, G Henry; P O’Grady, C Freeman; C McCrudden, D McDonnell, K Feeney; B Hunt, B Cullinane, S Hoban.

Subs: C Charlton for O’Grady (39), S Markham for Hunt (60), F Lyons for Henry (65), G Nolan for Cullinane (68).

Referee: P Murphy (Carlow).