LONDON MAY BE rank outsiders to claim victory in next Sunday’s Connacht final but one of their players knows what it takes to defeat a Mayo football team.
Before James Horan presided over the upswing in Mayo’s football fortunes, the county had to endure a miserable season in 2010.
Their campaign ended at the hands of Longford in the All-Ireland qualifiers in June that year and on that Longford team was current London captain Seamus Hannon.
“I was brought into the Longford panel in ’09 but the only real playing year for me was 2010. I played all the League and made my debut against Louth.
“I was on the team that beat Mayo in the qualifiers in 2010, I came off with about five or six minutes to go, and we were subsequently beaten by Down in the second round qualifier.”
Hannon is aware of how that game in Pearse Park marked a watershed in the fortunes of Mayo as they have transformed themselves into a heavyweight force.
“It was John O’Mahony’s last game in charge and James Horan took over. They’ve moved on leaps and bounds since then.
“Even just the conditioning, the set up, the way they train, just the way they play football now is much more professional, more ruthless.
“It’s like a machine really. I suppose football has gone that way, it’s gone very professional and teams have systems, they’ve got ways of playing ways of nullifying opposition.”
Emigration
Hannon’s reasons for moving to London is a familiar tale.
“I’m a site engineer, civil engineer with Murphy’s. I joined them last November. Work’s going well, really busy. I did a degree in civil engineering and graduated in 2009 from DIT Bolton St.
“I just couldn’t get work in construction. I had a friend over here who said there would be opportunities so I jumped at it and I haven’t looked back since.
“I’m 26. As long as the work is good and things like that I’ll stay over here but eventually, definitely before I’m 30 anyway, I’d like to see myself back in Ireland.
“The girlfriend probably wants to get back too. She’s from Kells in Co Meath. The ambition is to go back eventually but I won’t go home for a job that’s not as good as the one I have. I’m quite happy here now.”
Hannon taks to the field before the semi-final against Leitrim.
INPHO/James Crombie
Hannon’s family at home will be travelling with interest to Castlebar on Sunday.
“My late grandfather was actually originally a Ballyhaunis man so there’s a little bit of Mayo blood in us.. I’d have a lot of cousins and all from Mayo so they’ll all be down. One of them met me after the Leitrim game and he was a bit torn but he might put on the London jersey, you never know, with the help of God he will.
“We’ll have good support. There’s a huge number of counties involved in this London team, people coming from all over Ireland.
“I suppose it’s ironic in that it’s in the year of The Gathering that we’re bringing everybody together. I know my sister’s coming over from Scotland and there’s other family here as well and all over the world coming home for this game.”
