Murphy saves Sligo’s blushes as London shout from the Rafter
London's Shay Rafter passes the ball beyond Sligo's Ronan Niland during last Sunday's FBD Connacht SFL encounter at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence. Picture: INPHO/Dan Clohessy
After a total flop of a performance the evening before, that saw London slump to an embarrassing 3-19 to 0-4 defeat at the hands of a very experimental Galway side, a much-changed Exiles side were only denied victory over Sligo on Sunday afternoon when Niall Murphy’s sixth point of the match, and fourth from a free, helped earn the Yeats County a share of the spoils.
Similarly, it was Sligo’s second game in 24 hours too, albeit they too were totally changed from the team that had been beaten by six points against Mayo in Charlestown. Paul Kilcoyne and Daire O’Boyle, who had both started against the Green and Red, were the only two players to feature in both matches, introduced in the second-half against a London side who had some significant Mayo interest in its ranks.
Ciaran Gaughan from Bonniconlon started at right corner-forward for the game played at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence. He marked his debut with a point from a free.
Gaughan rose to prominence during Bonniconlon’s progression to the 2024 Mayo JFC final which they lost after a replay to Cill Chomáin. The free-taker retained his excellent form to become the 2025 junior championship’s top scorer, despite Bonniconlon exiting at the semi-final stage.
He has particularly close connections to London but interestingly, is the only one of the London players named who remains signed to his home club as opposed to a London-based team.
It was another player of Mayo extraction however, who stole the show. London-born Shay Rafter, whose father Pat is from Glenamoy, featured at full-forward and finished the game with a goal and six points to his name, including 1-3 from play.
London had every reason to feel that they left this game behind them having fought from two points behind at half-time to make most of the running in the second-half.
Played in frosty conditions, the game had never really caught fire. It was London who opened the scoring through Joe McGill, who had scored all four of their points the night before, but Sligo were soon level when Luke Gilmartin landed a free on five minutes.
Shay Rafter had the London men back in front before the retuning Kyle Cawley landed a two pointer for Sligo – the only one of the match – on eight minutes. Luke Gilmartin added a free on 13 minutes to put the Black and White side two points clear.
A pointed free by Rafter kept London in touch but Sligo looked like they were coming to grips with the challenge and singles by Joseph Keaney and David Quinn, captain of county champions Shamrock Gaels, had extended the lead out to three points before Bonniconlon’s Ciaran Gaughan landed the final point of the first-half, to leave the scoreboard reading 0-7 to 0-5 in favour of Dessie Sloyan and Eamonn O’Hara’s side.
Sligo struggled to find their groove after the restart, as London kicked the opening two points of the half – with Sligo native Ciaran McKeon on target for the London men.
The sides were level-pegging on three occasions, with the scoreboard reading 0-10 apiece when arrived the game’s only goal. The impressive Rafter had a fisted attempt that took a deflection off a Sligo defender on its way into the net, and it was a score that looked like it might secure London a rare away win. However, Sligo rallied well and a late brace of points from Niall Murphy, including the leveller in stoppage time, ensured Sligo game away with a draw.
On account of both playing two games last Saturday and Sunday, neither Sligo or London are in action next weekend.
Scorers – Sligo: Niall Murphy 0-0-6 (4f), Kyle Cawley 0-1-0, Luke Gilmartin 0-0-2f, Paul Kilcoyne, David Quinn, Joseph Keaney and Aidan Devaney (f) 0-0-1 each.
London: Shay Rafter 1-0-6 (3f), Kristian Healy, Joe McGill, Ciaran McKeon, Conor Goggin and Ciaran Gaughan (f) 0-0-1 each.
Sligo: Aidan Devaney; David Barrett, Conor Johnston, Evan Lyons; Eoin Barrett, Paul McNamara, Dillion Walsh; Gavin Gorman, Joseph Keaney; Pat Spillane, Michael Lavin, David Quinn; Luke Gilmartin, Niall Murphy, Kyle Cawley. Subs: Daire O’Boyle (for E Barrett 28), Ronan Niland (for D Barrett 34), Paul Kilcoyne (for Quinn 35), Patrick O’Connor (for Gorman 45), Barry Cafferky (for Cawley 45), Eamonn Kilgannon (for Devaney 49).
London: Cormac McConnell; Jack Power, Nathan McElwaine, Stephen Henry; Conor Goggin, Conal Gallagher, Conor O'Donoghue; Tighe Barry, Daniel Clarke; Ciaran McKeon, Joe McGill, Kristian Healy; Ciaran Gaughan, Shay Rafter, James Davis. Subs: Conor Redican (for Power 42), George Durrant (for Gaughan 55).
REF: Shane Corcoran (Mayo)
