Scotstown retain Monaghan title with comfortable win

The game in Clones was played in testing conditions. 

Scotstown management celebrate during the Monaghan County Senior Club Football Championship final match in Clones. Pic: Philip Fitzpatrick/Sportsfile

Monaghan SFC final: Scotstown 1-10 Clontibret 0-8 

Scotstown retained the Monaghan SFC title with what ended up as a comfortable win over Clontibret in very challenging conditions in Clones.

Jack McCarron lobbed in the only goal to put Scotstown well on their way to sealing a ninth county title since 2013 in a game where Clontibret had threatened to rip up the script with a valiant first-half performance, only to be left to rue some wasteful finishing. Having eventually come through with a bit to spare, David McCague’s Scotstown side will now be chasing a run through the Ulster Club SFC, where they reached the final last year. The team who beat them last December, before going on to win the All-Ireland, won’t be in the running to defend their provincial title after Glen were pipped by Newbridge.

A very cagey opening 18 minutes produced just three points (all from placed kicks), with Rory Beggan (‘45) and Jack McCarron on target for Scotstown and Clontibret’s only score coming from a forward mark by Darragh Hughes, despite the 2019 champions enjoying the majority of possession. The first points from play arrived within 60 seconds of each other when one from Scotstown captain Damien McArdle was cancelled out by his opposite number six, Killian Lavelle.

A well-taken score from Francis Hughes ended another ten-minute deadlock, but a long-range effort by Conor McCarthy regained the lead for Scotstown and while Ryan McGuigan quickly replied, a McCarron free had the holders 0-5 to 0-4 up at half-time. Scotstown emerged for the second half with more energy and purpose, clipping over a point from Shane Carey within a minute of the restart, before McCarron and Conor McManus swapped scores from frees.

The game’s key score arrived on 39 minutes when Scotstown turned Clontibret over deep inside their own half, allowing McCarron to send in a deft shot that rolled into the empty net. Another 13 minutes would pass by without either team scoring, with the prospect of an upset having been all but killed off by the goal. Jack McDevitt, Rory Beggan and Carey added points to keep Scotstown in command and while Clontibret added to their tally with a brace from McManus, including a superb sideline kick, and one from sub Dessie Mone, there was no way back for them by then. 

Scotstown will have to wait another week to find out their Ulster Club quarter-final opponents after the Fermanagh decider between Enniskillen Gaels and Erne Gaels went to a replay.

Scorers for Scotstown: J McCarron 1-3 (0-3f); R Beggan (1f, 1 ‘45), S Carey (1f) 0-2 each; C McCarthy, D McArdle, J McDevitt 0-1 each.

Scorers for Clontibret: C McManus 0-3 (2f, 1 s-l); K Lavelle, F Hughes, D Hughes (m), R McGuigan, D Mone 0-1 each.

Scotstown: R Beggan; J McDevitt, D McArdle (Capt.); K Hughes; S Carey, S Treanor, C McCarthy; G McPhillips, M McCarville; D Murray, R O’Toole, J Hamill; M Maguire, J McCarron, D Hughes.

Subs: J Carey for Treanor, F Maguire for M Maguire (both 36); M McPhillips for Hamill (56); N Sherlock for Murray, D Morgan for McDevitt (both 59).

Clontibret: Darren McDonnell C Doyle, C Boyle (Capt.), J Gormley; Dean McDonnell, K Lavelle, A Carey; B Greenan, F Hughes; K Greenan, D Hughes, R McGuigan; C McCooey, C McManus, C Greenan.

Subs: D Mone for C Greenan (39); Daniel McDonnell for K Greenan, V Corey for McCooey (both 42); C Greenan for McGuigan (55).

Referee: M McNally (Corduff).