Football

Scotstown 'won't change approach' to counter Gaoth Dobhair

Scotstown boss Kieran Donnelly says his side won't change their tactical approach for Sunday's Ulster Club SFC final with Gaoth Dobhair. Picture by Philip Walsh
Scotstown boss Kieran Donnelly says his side won't change their tactical approach for Sunday's Ulster Club SFC final with Gaoth Dobhair. Picture by Philip Walsh Scotstown boss Kieran Donnelly says his side won't change their tactical approach for Sunday's Ulster Club SFC final with Gaoth Dobhair. Picture by Philip Walsh

SCOTSTOWN manager Kieran Donnelly says they will not change their way of playing in Sunday’s Ulster Club final.

The Monaghan champions have been renowned for playing a traditional brand of direct football that has again brought them great success in recent years, winning five of the last six county titles, including the last four-in-a-row.

The provincial crown has eluded them, and their closest brush came in a classic final with the similarly-minded Crossmaglen three years ago which An Bhoth lost after extra-time.

Albeit a different Cross team, they were torn asunder two weeks ago by a rampant Gaoth Dobhair side that swallowed them up in defence and then cut them to pieces on the break.

Asked if he would have preferred to be up against the more orthodox Armagh kingpins, Donnelly said: “You can never determine who you’re playing, this group are just delighted to be back in the final, but Gaoth Dobhair do prove a different challenge, a massive challenge.

“They’re unique in their style, they’re very accomplished in it having been playing it for years. They’ve a brilliant mix of pace and size, and nearly every player has inter-county experience.

“What they did to Crossmaglen, a club of their stature, was exceptional. We do know the problems they pose and in all their games to date, they have been running away with them in the first half.”

Donnelly’s side are not all that far removed from a similar fate to the one Crossmaglen just suffered in Omagh.

They got caught up in a similar web woven by an electric Kilcar in last year’s quarter-final in which the then-Donegal champions won by ten points.

The Omagh CBS teacher says that they will take lessons from that humbling afternoon in Clones, but that their best chance lies with imposing their own will on Sunday’s decider.

“There’s no doubt, Kilcar and any Donegal team are very similar, they play that brand of football. Gaoth Dobhair play it particularly well.

“The reason those two play it to that high level is how quickly they can move the ball in that transition phase through the middle third, they have such pace. It’s like the Donegal county team, it’s not lethargic.

“Scotstown’s style is renowned. In previous years, they’ve been known to play good, attractive football and as the current team, we pride ourselves on that.

“Two weeks isn’t much to be tweaking your system too much at all. Yes, we’re wary of the threats they posed against Crossmaglen, but we’re going to try and impose the way we want to play football on the game, we feel that’s our best way of winning an Ulster club.”

Scotstown, who have a clean bill of health, looked gone at the hands of Derry champions Eoghan Rua only to pull the game out of the fire with a composed late recovery.

They were many people’s favourites before Ulster began but they’ve been relegated to the role of underdog this weekend, partly down to the fidgety nature of their run to this point.

Derrygonnelly gave them bother for a half before Burren closed an eight-point gap back to one. Coleraine were three up when Gavin McWilliams hit the post having rounded Rory Beggan, but Scotstown showed great composure and even bravery to settle themselves and find a way.

“The most pleasing thing, especially in terms of a big championship game, is that last 10 or 15 minutes,” said Donnelly of the latter.

“We would pride ourselves on being good in that particular timeframe, having the patience and the nerve to keep following the process and doing the things we’ve been working on in training.

“From my end, it’s relief to come through a close game and happy, because the lads haven’t panicked. But as the weeks materialise, you do pinpoint areas that we need to nail and improve on. That’s the case in any game.

“At this level, you’ll have that in every game with teams being so good on the ball, they’ll have periods of dominance and areas where they’ll expose.”