Final triumph gives London crown

London 2-18, Roscommon 2-13

Fittingly, as the only team in the entire league to go through the regulation phase with a 100% record, London collected the Division 3B crown with a final triumph over Roscommon.

Full-forward Martin Finn (1-9) and silver-haired corner forward Kevin McMullen (1-4) continued their stunning league form, hitting 2-13 between them as the Exiles prevailed.

In bright sunshine, wing forward Mark Mythen got the ball rolling for the table-toppers with a second-minute point and they were 2-7 to 1-9 to the good at half-time.

Roscommon were missing their inspirational midfielder Mervyn Connaughton, who is away on his honeymoon, as they sought to overturn a 2-12 to 0-13 defeat by London earlier in the campaign.

A penalty from Micheal Kelly, 18 minutes in, raised their hopes, but Corkman Finn drove low and hard to the net for a 30th-minute penalty goal of his own.

Points from Padraig Kelly and David Dolan gave the Rossies the edge heading into injury-time, but a 40th-minute goal from McMullen saw London back in front.

London, with the wind in the second half, kept their hand on the trigger with points from Finn, Tom Tuohy and McMullen, but a brilliant 1-1 haul from Dolan had Roscommon back level at 2-12, with eight nervy minutes remaining.

In the end, London’s crisper hitting and well-oiled attack saw them through as points from Tuohy, Brian McCormack, Finn and McMullen closed out the win.