Gormley uPVC Senior Football Championship Round 3B
Scotstown 0-13 Latton 0-8 15/9/13
Scotstown took their second chance to qualify for the SFC semi-finals when they beat Latton in Clontibret on Sunday. Scotstown wasted little time in putting their loss to Clontibret behind them, as they built up a healthy, wind-assisted lead in the first half. Latton were more competitive after the restart, but they failed to take any of the chances for the goals they needed to get back into it. Kieran Hughes, Shane Carey, Damien McArdle, Nicholas Corrigan and James Turley were prominent for Scotstown, while Owen Coyle and Aidan Farmer were among few Latton players to make any impact.
Scotstown made two openings in the early minutes, as Nicholas Corrigan scuffed a shot wide at the end of a move involving Kieran and Darren Hughes, before the same player set up Orin Heaphey for an effort which was saved by Latton goalkeeper Seán Farmer. Kieran Hughes opened the scoring in the tenth minute when he converted a 25-metre free for a foul on Shane Carey and although Shane Coyle got Latton off the mark with a similar effort after an off-the-ball foul on Hugh McElroy, a good point by James Turley kept Scotstown on the front foot.
Carey then converted a 30-metre free for a foul on Kieran Hughes and he added a good outside-of-the-boot point after a one-two with Damien McArdle, before Orin Heaphey moved Scotstown four clear. Latton finally got their first score from play in the 19th minute when Owen Duffy fisted over after a one-two with Christopher Rice, but a late tackle on Dónal Morgan allowed Carey to reply from a 25-metre free and a poor kick-out then gave Corrigan the chance to kick a nice score. Kieran Hughes added a fine point at the end of a strong run and even though McElroy got one back from a 20-metre free after a foul on Shane Coyle, Hughes then got on the end of a cross-field pass from Turley to land another well-taken score. Corrigan then linked up with McArdle to give Scotstown a 0-10 to 0-3 lead at half-time.
Latton started the second half brightly, as Aidan Farmer kicked a point from play and Shane Coyle won and scored a 30-metre free. Kieran Hughes had a shot blocked after he exchanged passes with Carey, before Rory Beggan went forward to boot over a 40-metre free for a foul on Darren Hughes, who then had a fisted effort come off the upright and land for McArdle to tap over the rebound. Hugh McElroy ended 15 scoreless minutes for Latton with a well-taken point from play, before Damian Duffy drilled a shot at goal wide at the end of a move involving Owen and Shane Coyle.
Latton made another couple of chances of goal, but the first saw Owen Lennon fire over after he had caught a high ball from Stephen Fitzpatrick, while the second saw Lennon again catch a long ball in from Kieran Duffy and lay it off for McElroy, whose shot went just past the post. Carey won and scored a 25-metre free to restore the six-point gap and although Aidan Farmer hit the last point from a 45-metre free after a foul on James McElroy, Scotstown were still comfortable winners in the end.
Scotstown: R Beggan (0-1f); E Caulfield, W Carroll, P Keenan; D McArdle (0-1), D Morgan, M Duffy; D Hughes (Capt.), P O’Hara; J Turley (0-1), S Carey (0-4, 3f), O Heaphey (0-1); K Hughes (0-3, 1f), F Caulfield, N Corrigan (0-2).
Subs: D McCrudden for Heaphey (49 mins), C Treanor for E Caulfield (51), D McCague for F Caulfield (56), B McGinnity for Corrigan (59).
Latton: S Farmer; K Farrelly, E Lennon, K Duffy; O Coyle, D O’Brien, S Fitzpatrick; O Lennon (0-1), A Farmer (0-2, 1f); D McElroy, T Connolly, C Rice; S Coyle (0-2f), H McElroy (Capt., 0-2, 1f), O Duffy (0-1).
Subs: D Duffy for Connolly (inj., 30), J McElroy for Rice (H-T), S McCabe for D McElroy (43).
Referee: S Gilsenan (Donaghmoyne).
By cshalvey Mon 16th Sep
