Coggins looking for repeat performance from London

GAA: PAUL COGGINS was difficult to locate in London yesterday, although not because he was glued to the tennis. For the first time since the introduction of the All-Ireland football qualifiers London are actually fancied to win a game – and Fermanagh will travel to Ruislip on Saturday more than a little afraid.

So Coggins has been fielding quite a few calls from this side of the Irish Sea and senses the expectation about his London team. But the Roscommon native – in his first season in charge of London – is not complaining: they very nearly beat Mayo in the Connacht championship three weeks ago, probably should have beaten them, and the confidence is still up.

“We’ve no regrets at all about not beating Mayo,” he says, despite losing out in extra-time, having been two points up in the closing minutes. “We did everything we could, the lads played very well, and we learnt a lot too. It’s given the lads great belief, knowing they can perform against a team like Mayo. What we have to do is repeat that on Saturday, and next year and so on.

“We’ve stuck together, brought in a few new players, actually. What we did against Mayo does help, a big performance like that helps the squad stick together. It’s great to have some media interest in our games as well. But we have to make sure we keep it that way.”

Not only have London never won a match in the qualifiers, they’ve only won one game since joining the Connacht championship in 1975 – the 0-9 to 0-6 defeat of Leitrim in 1977. They had another close battle with Leitrim in 1987 and also with Sligo in 1988 and Roscommon in 2005, and certainly looked to have the beating of Mayo before losing out in extra time, 0-19 to 2-10.

“For a few years London only played in the Tommy Murphy Cup. But they played very well in the qualifiers against Down two years ago. Last year was very disappointing against Wexford, and we have to make sure that doesn’t happen again. It’s not the same sort of day as the championship, and the crowd that Mayo would have brought that day. But that shouldn’t matter, it’s about us performing.

“If it happens it happens. It’s about the performance, but I’d rather talk about what winning would mean after the game. But training is going very well, and we’re looking forward to the game. We got a bit of luck this time, being drawn at home. We know the pitch, and don’t have to travel. But it’s what happens on the pitch. We knew Fermanagh are coming over Friday, and sometimes a team that travels like that can be more organised.” Coggins expects to field much the same team that ran Mayo so close, with the exception of wing back John Scanlon, who sustained a foot injury in the Mayo game.

Former Galway senior Paul Geraghty – who collected 1-1 against Mayo – will once again front the attack, with Killian Phair, who hit 0-2 as a substitute, in contention for a start. Kerry native Stephen Brown has also joined the panel.

Fermanaghwon’t lack motivation either – not with the prospect of being the first team to exit the qualifiers at the hands of London.