AIB ULSTER CLUB SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP.
Scotstown (Monaghan) 2-17. Derrygonnelly Harps (Fermanagh) 1-11.
A stronger, more experienced Scotstown, deservedly booked their place in the next round of the Ulster club senior championship when they staged an increasingly effective second-half performance to kill off the challenge of Fermanagh champions Derrygonnrlly Harps in this entertaining and at times hard hitting contest that was played in greasy conditions in Clones on Sunday.
Derrygonnelly opened the scoring with a point by Stephen McGullion in the first minute but Scotstown took seven minumtes to cancel that score out and that set the tone for a tit for tat first half. Derrygonnelly went back in front but Scotstown then rattled over three points in quick succession from Kieran Hughs, Shane Carey and Orin Heaphey to open a two points lead. It was a lead though that was short lived as Derrygonnelly were awarded a penalty when Shane McGullion was grounded and Conall Jnes stroked home the spot kick. The sides exchanged points twice going ito the finall ten minutes with Scotstown the re-taking the lead with a Rory Beggan point from a free. Again Derrygonnelly responded and a brace from Leigh and Garvan Jones had the Fermanagh champions back in front before a point Ryan O’Toole tied the game up at half time, Scotstown 0-9, Derrygonnelly 1-6.
Scotstown got off to a flying start to the second-half with four points in the opening three minutes, two by Conor McCarthy, one from a free and one each by Kieran Hughes and Jack McDevitt, to put Scotstown into a lead they never subsequently relinquished. Derrygonnelly got it back to 2 points after twelve minutes and two still separated them going into the final ten minutes of normal time, but it was now that the greater experience of Scotstown began to tell. Rory Beggan converted a long-range free for a three points lead and while Conell Jones brought it back to a two point game with six minutes remaining Scotstown hit them with two killer goals, substitute Ross McKenna careering through the Derrygonnelly defence in the twenty-sixth minute and then he turned provider for Damien McArdle who applied a sublime finish two minutes later to put Scotstown seven in front. In stoppage time they added points by Shane Carey and Conor McCarthy, both from frees, to send them through to a quarter-final meeting with Down champions Burren in two weeks time. Derrygonnelly finished the game with 14 players following the sending off of Declan Cassidy in the final minute of normal time.
Teams and Scorers: Scotstown: R Beggan 0-2 (2f), B Boylan, R O’Toole 0-1, D McArdle 1-1, J McDevitt 0-1, D Morgan, E Caulfield, F Caulfield, K Hughes 0-2, F Maguire, C McCarthy 0-5 (3f), J McCarey, S Carey 0-3 (1f), D Hughes, O Heaphey 0-2. Subs: R McKenna 1-0 for O Heaphey (51), M McCarville for F Maguire (56), Fergal McPhillips for J McDevitt (59), D McCrudden for J McCarey (60), J Rurley forB Boylan (60+4).
Derrygonnelly Harps: J Kelly, M Jones, T Daly, E McHugh, D Greene, D Cassidy, G McGinley, Steven McGullion 0-1, R Jones 0-2, L Jones 0-1, G Jones 0-4 (2f), Shane McGullion, P Ward 0-1, C Jones 1-2, G McKenna. Subs: N Gallagher for Shane McGullion, O Smith for D Greene (47), K Cassidy for G McKenna (50), A McKenna for L Jones (54), S Gilroy for C Jones (Black Card 60+1). Referee: P Hughes (Armagh)
