Monaghan Senior Club Football Championship final: Scotstown v Clontibret
Reigning champions Scotstown are appearing in their seventh consecutive Senior Football Championship final and seeking to complete a second five in a row for the Monaghan club.
That achievement would match the benchmark set by the most successful group of players that Scotstown have produced.
It was way back in the late '70s and into the '80s, the members of that team back-boning Monaghan’s success in those years at inter-county level and quite a number of those players going on to establish themselves as household names.
Victory on Sunday would see Scotstown winning their 20th senior title.
For Clontibret it would be their 17th title with their most recent notable achievements being completing a double in 2006 and 2007 and again in 2009 and 2010.
Clontibret last won the senior championship in 2014 when they defeated Sunday’s opponents.
It has been something of a rocky road for both protagonists on their way to Sunday’s final as each had to overcome a number of obstacles, but both of Sunday’s finalists have reached the decider without having to resort to the back door, although Scotstown have played one more game as their semi final with Ballybay went to a replay.
Reflecting on that, captain Darren Hughes agreed that Scotstown had to get over difficult periods in games, the draw against Ballybay and the game against Truagh in particular.
“It hasn’t been all plain sailing be any means, although people will tell you 'oh Scotstown, will win in the championship easily', but I don’t remember very many, if any, easy championship games over the years since we won our first one in 2013,'' he countered.
''You have to go out and you have to play well and it’s tough to play well, but I have to give credit to the boys because they were six points up in games and six points down in other games and we got results out of both. ''There have been ups and downs and there is no doubt we probably stuttered our way to the final, but the main thing is we are there and that’s what it’s all about.”
Clontibret manager John McEntee rates Scotstown as “arguably one of the top four club teams in Ulster, let alone Monaghan.''
''So they are on a different level to any team in Monaghan and for us Scotstown have, if you like, almost eased their way through the championship and they are just starting to hit form now,'' stated McEntee.
''In the replay of the semi-final, they were immense, whereas the other teams have to play well to beat any team and we know that it’s going to take a huge performance for us to defeat Scotstown.
''Ballybay almost had them the first day, but it was different the second day, so we know what we are up against and we are under no illusions that we have to perform to our best if we are to be in with a chance.”
Going into Sunday’s final a cursory glance at the line outs will highlight the well known names in Monaghan GAA.
In Clontibret Conor Boyle, Colum Greenan, Vincent Corey, Conor McManus and Dessie Mone are names that trip easily off the lips, while for Scotstown, they have former all star goalkeeper Rory Beggan, Donal Morgan, Kieran Hughes, Darren Hughes, Conor McCarthy and Shane Carey who have all seen inter county action.
While both sides will be thinking of key players on the opposition team, they will be more determined though to play their own game and play to their own strengths, although there will be specific man-marking jobs handed out on each side.
Dessie Mone will probably pick up Conor McCarthy, Colum Greenan and Darren Hughes will be interesting.
The midfield battle between the Clontibret pair of Francis Hughes and Killian Lavelle up against Kieran Hughes and James Turley or Frank Caulfield could be pivotal.
In the end, it might just come down to a shoot-out between Conor McCarthy and Conor McManus although Shane Carey and Vinny Corey could also have a say it.
