Strong Mayo presence helps clinch All-Britain win for London club

Former Mayo senior team coach Máirtín McGrath guided his Wandsworth Gaels team to the All-Britain intermediate title last weekend when the Londoners defeated Sean McDermott's in a thrilling final in Solihull.

The victory capped an amazing journey for Wandsworth who were only formed five years ago and they will now go on to play the Ulster champions in the All-Ireland quarter final in the coming weeks.

McGrath guided the Gaels to the London junior title in 2022 and they continued their meteoric rise through the ranks when defeating St Clare's in the London intermediate final before going on to beat reigning champions Glasgow Gaels in the All-Britain semi-final. After that win, a former Wandsworth Gaels player, well-known singer Niall Horan, celebrated with the boys in blue back in London.

Niall Horan pictured with players Conor Gilsenan and Martin Devine after Wandsworth Gaels won the London Junior title in 2022. Pic via London GAA (@LondainGAA) on Twitter

In the run-up to last weekend'd decider, McGrath and the backroom team left no stone unturned and when the team bus pulled out of Clapham on Saturday morning they were determined to give it their very best shot.

That desire was fulfilled in Pairc na hEireann when the London champions powered their way to a 2-7 to 0-6 victory in front of a passionate following. Afterwards, team captain Darragh Daly from Mullingar thanked McGrath as 'the man who makes it all tick,' before they headed south where celebrations were hosted in The Hop Pole in Wandsworth.

There were four Mayo men on the Wandsworth squad alongside McGrath – Peter Cafferkey from Ballycroy, Ballintubber's Niall Hession, Mark Adams from Mayo Gaels and Balla's Lee Brennan.