Football

Monaghan heavyweights Scotstown and Clontibret hold no secrets from each other

The Hughes brothers – Darren and Kieran – will be pivotal figures as Scotstown seek to successfully defend their Monaghan senior title against Clontibret
The Hughes brothers – Darren and Kieran – will be pivotal figures as Scotstown seek to successfully defend their Monaghan senior title against Clontibret The Hughes brothers – Darren and Kieran – will be pivotal figures as Scotstown seek to successfully defend their Monaghan senior title against Clontibret

Greenfield Foods Monaghan Senior Football Championship final: Scotstown v Clontibret (tomorrow, Castleblayney, 4pm)

Scotstown and Clontibret have dominated senior football in Monaghan for the last decade and when they clash in tomorrow’s county final in St Mary’s Park, Castleblayney, the outcome will mean a 17th senior football championship title for the winners.

Even the respective number of titles these protagonists have won underlines how close things are between them and it will be fine margins again as Castleblayney hosts its first county final in 33 years.

The fact that Scotstown are appearing in their fourth final in a row and their fifth in six years indicates their level of consistency, while for Clontibret this will be their ninth final in the new millennium.

Another measure of their consistency is that since 2002 Clontibret and Scotstown between them have been in the final 12 times – Clontibret with eight appearances, 10 if you count the two replays, and Scotstown with four.

That number of appearances would give Clontibret the edge as far as being battle-hardened is concerned and they have also won the title on six of the eight occasions that they contested the decider in the last 15 years, making Sunday’s final a battle of the titans.

Clontibret captain Vinny Corey, though, lays little emphasis on stats like that.

“Those are in the past and when you win a championship you don’t dwell on it but you start working on the next one and getting ready mentally and physically and we will need

to be on top of our game to stop Scotstown doing two in a row,’’ he says.

Scotstown, though, regard themselves as a championship team and barring that slip-up in 2014 they could be going for another three-in-a-row that they last achieved in 1983 to 1985.

Their defeat by Clontibret in the final of the 2014 senior football championship still hurts in Scotstown and that will be acting as a huge motivator as they seek to erase that from the memory.

The degree of familiarity between these teams is also exceptional, so there will be little by way of surprises that either can spring.

Like all other contests in gaelic games, the county final is a team affair where it will take using 20 or maybe 21 players to get over the line, but ultimately both protagonists will look to their big-name players for the performances that will lift their side to a greater extent.

In that regard, the spotlight will fall on the likes of the Hughes brothers – Darren and Kieran – for Scotstown  and Conor McManus for Clontibret.

But it may be one of the lesser lights that will swing it on the day. 

McManus is top gun in this year’s senior football championship with 1-45 before tomorrow’s final and if Scotstown don’t limit his influence they could pay a heavy price. 

Clontibret, though, could be without Dessie Mone who sustained a wrist injury, while there is also a doubt over team captain Vinny Corey.

Scotstown’s Conor McCarthy, who was the fourth highest scorer in last year’s championship is also ruled out so Mattie McGleenan will be looking for everyone to step up. 

“The final is not just about big name players and it could well be one of the lesser lights who produces a moment of magic that will win it and if we do put titles back-to-back it will be the sweetest victory in my time with the club,’’ says McGleenan.

The game will be preceded by the minor football division one final between Corduff and Aughnamullen (2pm).