London boss Maher delighted with side's character as Exiles shock Mayo 

The Connacht big guns were edged out on Sunday.

London manager Michael Maher during the Connacht FBD League quarter-final match against  Mayo. Picture: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile

FBD Insurance Connacht GAA Football League quarter-final:  London 0-12  Mayo 1-8

London shocked Mayo with an impressive win in the FBD league quarter-final and now go on to face Roscommon next weekend in the semi-final.

The Exiles impressed from the off with a good defensive set-up and the superb Shay Rafter who scored six points on his senior debut for the Exiles.

London manager Michael Maher’s had a plan for his side and their strategy was spearheaded by captain Eoin Walsh, who worked hard as a sweeper.

Maher was delighted with his side’s win. “We've had a big change in the squad. I don't think there's too many other counties that will have 15/16 changes to their panel.

“Our response to Mayo's goal today was critical. It was going to be a big ask of the character of our guys. They responded well. We were two up at the time, it put us one down and we went back down the other end the score two on the spin.

“Ultimately that five-minute spell there probably won us the game, I am delighted we have a game to look forward to next week now and the building blocks are in place”.

Mayo manager Kevin McStay went with quite a young, experimental team with Rob Hennelly, Jordan Flynn and Cillian O’Connor the most experienced players in the starting XV. Seven of Mayo’s starting 15 were handed their debuts.

“Disappointing because we were kinda planning for next week the semi-final," he admitted afterwards, "not being presumptuous about it but it was certainly within our sights to get another game in the league.”

London got the first score of the game with a free from Rafter. Mayo found it difficult to break through the London defence being turned over numerous times in the opening minutes.

Mayo got their opening score with a free off the boot of Cillian O’Connor in the eighth minute.

London got the next score on the board when Rafter notched again from a free to put the Exiles back in front.

Jordan Flynn and Rafter scored the first points from play for both sides.

Mayo went in front for the first time in the 24 minute when Flynn scoring his second. Rafter scored his fourth of the afternoon when he won a free from in front of Mayo’s Conor Hunt to level the score 0-4.

Mayo took a slim lead into half-time when O’Connor slotted a 20m free to leave it 0-6 to 0-5 at the interval.

Aidan McLoughlin scored from play to level the scores five minutes into the second period.

London substitute Gareth McDowell took on the Mayo defence and slotted the ball over the bar to give them a one-point lead.

Substitute Tighe Barry ran at Mayo and was fouled with Rafter slotting the ball over the bar to leave the score 0-8 to 0-6.

Donnacha McHugh got Mayo’s first score of the second half with a long-range point. But Oran Kerr responded to put the Exiles two up once more.

A quick Hennelly kick-out was won by the hard-working Flynn who identified O’Connor inside and he found the roof of the net to put Mayo in front.

The Mayo revival was short-lived and London replied with a score from Liam Gallagher from a 50m free.

Gallagher stepped up again in the 59th minute to give London the lead from a free before a free from Mayo substitute Conal Dawson left it all square with 10 minutes to go.

London scored the winning point as the game entered injury time after Rafter won a mark. Mayo had chances to level the game but they all went agonisingly wide.

Scorers for Mayo: C O’Connor (1-2, 2f), J Flynn (0-2), D Quinn (0-1), F Irwin (0-1), D McHugh (0-1), C Dawson (0-1, f) 

Scorers for London: S Rafter (0-6, 2m,3f) , L Gallagher (0-2, f), E Walsh 0-1, O Kerr, A McLoughlin 0-1, DJ O’Flaherty 0-1 (0-1 apiece) 

MAYO: R Hennelly, A McDonnell, K Callaghan, R Keane, T Fahey, C Hunt, E McLoughlin, J Flynn (C), D McHugh, C Reid, F Irwin, T O' Flaherty, D Quinn, C O’Connor K Quinn.

Subs: D Dolan, E O' Donoghue, C Boland, C Dawson, R Brickenden, T Conroy, D Reilly, F Kelly, C Beirne, E Henry, N Coggins 

LONDON: A Walsh, D Rooney, M Moynihan, F Eastwood, O Kerr, J McCann, C Cox, S Dornan, L Gallagher, A McLoughlin, D Clarke, DJ O’Flaherty, J Obahor, S Rafter, E Walsh (C).

Subs: T Barry, G McDowell, R Tohill, S Tucker, C McKeon, J McCann, M Miller, C Mulgrew, L Kelly, R O’Connell.

Referee: D Lyons