Monaghan SFC final, Sunday, 3.30pm, Clones
Magheracloone v Scotstown
REIGNING Monaghan champions Scotstown are strong favourites to retain the Mick Duffy cup tomorrow and so add an 18th senior title to their roll of honour.
Even though they have had to battle hard to make it back to another final, it is not difficult to see why they are fancied to make it a three-in-a-row.
They are backboned by several players who are established Monaghan county performers.
Players such as Rory Beggan, the Hughes brothers Darren and Kieran, Shane Carey and Conor McCarthy would grace most club teams in Ulster and beyond.
Add into the mix quality players such as the Caulfields, Emmett and Francis, Dermot Morgan, Fergal McPhillips, William Carroll and James Hamill, and you are looking at a formidable outfit.
Losing their manager Mattie McGleenan to the Cavan senior footballers was a blow at the end of last season, but it has not halted their march back to a fifth consecutive decider, under the stewardship of Kieran Donnelly.
Scotstown began the defence of their crown with a convincing win against newcomers Killanny, a victory which showcased their attacking power.
After a one-sided opening half, the champs were already sure of advancing as the score at the halfway point read 3-11 to 0-3 in their favour.
Carey and McCarthy (2) got those goals, with Micheal McCarville adding a fourth from the bench.
They booked their place in the semi-finals with an altogether different kind of a test, as they just squeezed past 2011 champions Latton O’Rahilly’s.
In that contest, Kieran Hughes was one of their heroes, contributing four points from play. But they were forced to dig deep, as they responded to a Hugh McElroy penalty with late points from Carey and Ross McKenna to progress by a single point.
And if that were not dramatic enough, they were put to the pin of their collars by Ballybay in the semi-final, a repeat of last year’s encounter at the same stage.
The first game finished in a draw, with Ballybay probably still shaking their heads in disbelief as to how they let Scotstown off the hook.
With veteran Paul Finlay in fine form, Ballybay led by three at the break and by eight points with just over an hour gone.
But in an astonishing turn around, the north Monaghan side snaffled 2-2 in eight added-on minutes to earn a reprieve.
The replay on October 5 was watched by a huge crowd, who were not let down, as the two teams served up an absorbing game.
Three points separated the teams at the finish, with Rory Beggan earning his corn with a penalty save in the second half.
Magheracloone are aiming to add to their single title, won back in 2004, and have had a somewhat similar passage to the final.
After seeing off Monaghan Harps in a preliminary round clash, they easily saw off Truagh in the next round.
That earned them a crack at Ballybay, who also proved to be a sticky proposition for the Mitchels.
They shaded that tussle by a point, with Tommy Freeman, back in harness after retiring from club football last season, registering 10 points – four of them from open play.
Latton came next, a game which bore similarities to the meeting of Scotstown and the O’Rahilly’s.
Magheracloone looked to be heading out of the championship as Latton were two points to the good three minutes into injury time.
But they too found the resources and the will to eke out the result, with Freeman and Paudie McMahon both adding late goals to send them through to their first final since 2010.
On championship form, there appears little to separate these two teams. Both have shown the grit necessary to win a county championship.
And if Scotstown can boast the Hughes brothers et al in their ranks, Magheracloone have talent of their own. The return of Freeman has added finesse, craft and scoring threat as well as a wealth of experience. He played in that 2004 championship winning side.
But they also have a host of other impressive players, most notably Gavin Doogan, James Ward, Paudie McMahon, Alan McCahey, Allan Kieran and James Ward.
Scotstown have the edge though. This is a side who reached the Ulster senior club final just a couple of years ago.
They can earn another tilt at that championship with victory tomorrow.
