VGC Intermediate Football Championship R2: Éire Óg 2-09 TCG 1-04

Éire Óg squared up to Tir Chonaill Gaels for the second time in a month, this time in the London Intermediate Football Championship. Conditions were dismal yet calm but the contest between these two sides was to be anything but. TCG couldn’t have got off to a better start and took the lead from the penalty spot and followed that up with a quick point to leave Éire Óg down by four points in as many minutes. The remainder of the half was to prove to be a fruitless one as TCG failed to build on their early lead. This was down to the resolute defending of Éire Óg’s back lines led by Conor Kearney at full back and Pat Tobin at centre back. The North London outfit settled somewhat after the setback and despite some wayward shooting managed to drag themselves back in to this must win game for both sides. Éire Óg and TCG went in all square at the half time stoppage with four scores apiece (EO 0.04 TCG 1.01)

The second half was to follow a similar pattern of dominance for Éire Óg and the midfield duo, Darragh Cotter and Ger Crowley, chipped in with 3 scores from the centre of the park to settle any nerves for Éire Óg. Following the second water break, Éire Óg grew stronger and displayed a more clinical approach and put the contest to bed soon after the 50-minute mark. A barnstorming fifty-yard dash up the left wing by Ronan Campfield, who somehow mustered the energy to charge up the Ruislip pitch and get on the end of a deft pass by wing forward James Keneghan resulted in a goal for the North Londoners and assured them of the victory and their first points of the championship (The clip has gone viral). Éire Óg’s strength from the bench proved too much for TCG in the end and they ran out comfortable winners.

Best on the day were veterans Pat Tobin and Sean McGrath who covered nearly every blade of grass in Ruislip. Stevie O’Neill and the returning Joe McMahon led the forward line very well and scored 5 between them. Next up for Éire Óg is Cu Chullains at Downhills park, Sunday 25^th October, 1pm.

Éire Óg: D. Hegarty, B. O’Dowd, C. Kearney, N. Murray, R. Campfield, P. Tobin, C. Kenny, G. Crowley, D. Cotter, J. Keneghan, A. Rogan, S. McGrath, S. O’Neill, Joe McMahon, J. Whyte . Subs used. P. Sweeney, D. Roarty, R. Collins, E. Kelly, C. O’Kane.