Roscommon breeze to 19-point win in London

A clinical second-half showing saw Roscommon blow London away 2-26 to 0-13 at McGovern Park in Ruislip as championship season 2025 began.

Against the backdrop of a heavy west London breeze, Roscommon set the tone in the first minute when Ruaidhrí Fallon scored the first point of the game – and this season's Connacht Championship - moments after the throw-in.

The first 10 minutes of the game was dominated by the Rossies, who were patient in front of goal and doubled their lead five minutes later when Enda Smith split the posts.

Things would soon get worse for London when Roscommon captain Diarmuid Murtagh finished a well-worked move with a goal.

The hosts were five points down and alarm bells were already ringing for the men from the English capital, and they rang even louder after Ben O’Carroll, Ciaráin Murtagh, Ultan Harney and Cian McKeon put the visitors nine ahead without a peep from the Exiles.

London had failed to make use of the strong wind early on and finally troubled the scoreboard in the 14th minute when Liam Gallagher made history with the first-ever two-point score in the championship, which was answered at the other end with a Roscommon score courtesy of Eddie Nolan.

The two-pointer from Gallagher gave London the confidence to attack and attack they did.

London's Nathan McElwaine is tackled by Roscommon's Ciaráin Murtagh (L) and Colm Neary

Ciaran Diver, Daniel Clarke, Eoin Walsh and London native Shay Rafter closed the gap between the two sides. Diver sent the ball over the bar with a free in the 26th minute to level matters.

It had looked at one stage like Roscommon would run away with the game, but London deservedly worked themselves back into matters despite being nine points down early on.

Roscommon went into the break with a three-point lead thanks to two more points from O’Carroll and Keith Doyle, but despite their lead, the game was firmly in the balance at 1-10 to 0-10.

Roscommon increased their lead over the Londoners after the break when Dylan Ruane, Ciaráin Murtagh and Smith pointed. Diarmuid Murtagh was also denied a second goal on the line by London’s Daire Rooney.

Rafter and Kristian Healy registered London’s first points of the second half in response - Rafter would be London’s leading man on the scoring front - but Roscommon soon showed their quality with brutal efficiency in front of the posts with all of their scores except for one coming from open play.

Ciaráin Murtagh and teammate McKeon kept Roscommon in cruise control before the former scored their second goal of the afternoon to give the Rossies an 11-point lead to end the game as a contest.

Roscommon’s O’Carroll and Cathal Heneghan scored a pair of lovely two-pointers to push that lead even further out to 17 with five minutes to go.

Cian McKeon kicks a point for the Rossies

London were aggrieved when Diver’s effort appeared to split the posts, but the officials disagreed.

Ultimately, even if it had counted, it wouldn’t have made any difference as the gap in quality was there for all to see.

Substitute Shane Killoran grabbed himself a score in between a couple more points from O’Carroll as Roscommon refused to relent.

London will look back at their first-half performance and regret not utilising the wind to their advantage, given it took so long for them to get going. But in the championship, you can’t afford to sit back or waste opportunities against quality sides.

Rafter would eventually grab London’s first score since the 46th minute with a free, but it mattered little as their attention now turns to Tailteann Cup while Roscommon advance to the Connacht semi-final.

London: Andrew Walsh; Daire Rooney, Sean Taylor, Nathan McElwaine; Eoin Walsh (0-01), Matt Moynihan, Aidan McLoughlin; Tighe Barry, Liam Gallagher (0-02, 0-01tp); Joshua Obahor, Daniel Clarke (0-02, 0-01tp), Kristian Healy (0-01); Ciaran Diver (0-03, 0-01f), Shay Rafter (0-04, 0-02fs), Ruairi Rafferty.

Subs: Ciaran McCarrick for Obahor (ht), Conor McKelvey for Walsh (47), Conor Cox for Barry (58), Oran Hilley for McLoughlin (60), Josh Crowley Holland for Moynihan (66).

Roscommon: Conor Carroll; Pearse Frost, John McManus, David Murray; Ruaidhrí Fallon (0-01), Colm Neary, Dylan Ruane (0-02); Eddie Nolan (0-01), Keith Doyle (0-01); Ultan Harney, Enda Smith (0-02), Ben O’Carroll (0-07, 0-01tp, 0-01f); Diarmuid Murtagh (1-01), Cian McKeon (0-03), Ciaráin Murtagh (1-05, 0-01tp)

Subs: Shane Cunnane for Doyle (ht), Conor Hand for Ruane (47), Cathal Heneghan (0-02, 0-01tp) for Diarmuid Murtagh (57), Senan Lambe for Frost (57), Shane Killoran (0-01) for Smith (66’).

Referee: Thomas Murphy (Galway).

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