Greenfield Foods Monaghan Senior Football Championship: Magheracloone Mitchell’s 0-13 Scotstown 2-17
THE class of Conor McCarthy, at one end, and Rory Beggan, at the other, saw Scotstown complete three in-a-row in Monaghan yesterday.
McCarthy – described by Monaghan legend ‘Nudie’ Hughes as “an exceptional” talent – finished with a tally of 1-8 that included a stunning second half goal.
Meanwhile, his county team-mate Beggan added three crucial saves to an exhibition of distribution, dead-ball kicking and handling to see ‘An Bhoth’ past a Magheracloone side that tried hard but lacked the quality to bring a contest that simmered at times, to the boil.
Scotstown – who face Donegal champions Kilcar at the same venue in a fortnight’s time – had scraped through their quarter-final and needed a replay to get past Latton at the semi-final stage. But they were worthy winners yesterday.
Afterwards, Magheracloone manager Frankie Doogan said: “I think they saved their best for last. That’s the best I’ve seen Scotstown playing all year and I’ve been at all their games.”
He added: “They are a really good side.
“Our boys are disappointed but they’ll have to get over it. They’re young, a few of them are old, but we have plenty of good footballers coming through in the juveniles and hopefully they’ll get back to days like this.”
Meanwhile, Scotstown manager Kieran Donnelly felt that the key moments had gone his side’s way. Magheracloone scored the first point of the game, but never led again and Scotstown’s superior experience, physicality and quality up front – all six Scotstown forwards scored – decided the issue.
“The wee moments went our way,” said the Brookeborough clubman.
“They had a couple of goal chances, especially the one before half-time, but they didn’t take them and we kept the scoreboard ticking over.
“The big thing was that we got a good start. I felt that was massive for us because when they go at you there are goals in them. We felt that if we could settle ourselves early we could get on top.”
Donnelly has inherited an experienced team that previous manager Mattie McGleenan took to the Ulster club final in 2015. He expects a serious test from Donegal champions Kilcar who beat Naomh Conall 0-7 to 0-4 in yesterday’s attritional Tir Chonaill decider.
“We look forward to that,” he said.
“This team has been there before and we look forward to the challenge. Again it’ll be tough in Ulster, it’s always tough and it’ll be competitive as always.”
Donnelly had James Turley – brought home from Qatar – available yesterday. He was a late replacement in midfield for Kieran Hughes who was ruled out of the starting line-up with a hand injury and watched from the bench as Michael Metzger swept the ball over the Scotstown bar with just 25 seconds gone.
However, they replied immediately with Dermot McCrudden picking out man of the match McCarthy who equalised off his left foot.
Magheracloone were quickly pinned in their own half and McCarthy’s Monaghan team-mate Shane Carey swapped passes with Orin Heaphey and blasted a shot goalward which was instinctively deflected high and wide by full-back Peter Ward.
Beggan sent the 45 screaming over the bar with a flick of his right boot and Scotstown surged ahead from the resulting kick-out.
McCrudden gathered possession and spotted Darren Hughes’ break. Full-forward Hughes caught the ball over his head, turned Ward, charged forward and beat the goalkeeper with a sliderule finish to leave his side 1-2 to 0-1 ahead after just six minutes.
With Magheracloone rushing their kicking game, Scotstown continued to dominate possession, taking their time before playing the ball accurately into their willing inside forwards.
McCarthy capitalised with his second of the game and, though the hardworking Gavin Doogan pulled one back for Magheracloone, another monster free from Beggan and McCarthy’s third left Scotstown 1-5 to 0-2 ahead with 15 minutes gone.
Tommy Freeman registered a free, but dropped another effort short and McCarthy maintained Scotstown’s comfortable position with a swerving effort off the outside of his trusty left boot.
However, Magheracloone kept fighting and created two goal chances before the break. First Beggan had to save brilliantly from Paudie McMahon after Freeman’s clever movement had won possession. Allan Kieran landed a point and then James Kieran raced through the middle of the Scotstown defence but with the goal in his sights he blazed a shot just over the bar.
Magheracloone’s brief revival was halted by a McCarthy free and although Metzger replied with one of his own, points from McCrudden and Darren Hughes left Scotstown well placed at 1-9 to 0-6 ahead at the break.
Magheracloone needed a good start to the second half and Metzger once again opened the scoring to cut the deficit to five.
However, they couldn’t capitalize on Scotstown sluggishness. Freeman added another free before James Ward’s break from defence created a goal chance for Allan Kieran.
Beggan was off his line quickly to smother the shot and then Ward had a sight of goal himself but fired over the bar.
His effort left it 1-11 to 0-9 but Scotstown pulled away with the introduction of Kieran Hughes.
The Irish News Ulster Allstar showed strength to win a superb long ball from Beggan and then pace to cut a swathe through the Magheracloone defence. McCarthy met him with a well-timed angled run, took the ball, sent a shot arrowing into the top corner and that was that.
Freeman and Doogan brought it back to 2-11 to 0-11 but Heaphey and Beggan and McCarthy frees saw Scotstown establish an impregnable position with time running out and the game petering out.
Damian McArdle joined the attack to add his name to the scorers before he was black-carded for a needless rugby-style tackle on Freeman who got up to convert the free.
But Shane Carey was the last scorer of what finished a one-sided game and Scotstown went off to celebrate with their 18th Mick Duffy Cup in the back of the bus.
Magheracloone: D Kirk; P McArdle, P Ward, P McMahon; M Jones, J Ward (0-1), J McMahon; G Doogan (0-2), J Kieran (0-1); P Kirk, M Metzger (0-3, 0-2 frees), B Kieran; P Finnegan, A Kieran (0-1), T Freeman (0-5 frees)
Subs: J Lambe for M Jones (23), A McCahey for P Finnegan (ht), P Tuite for B Kieran (50)
Scotstown: R Beggan (0-3, 0-2 frees, 0-1 45); F McPhillips, W Carroll, S Mohan; D Morgan, D McArdle (0-1), E Caulfield; F Caulfield, J Turley; J Hamill (0-1), S Carey (0-1), D McCrudden (0-1); O Heaphey (0-1), D Hughes (1-1), C McCarthy (1-8, 0-4 frees)
Subs: K Hughes for F Caulfield (37), R McKenna for J Hamill (44), M McCarville for McCrudden (54), D McCague for J Turley (59), K McMeel for W Carroll (61)
Black card: D McArdle replaced by P Keenan (60)
Referee: X Coyle (Tyholland)
