Scotstown win third Monaghan SFC title in a row after defeating Inniskeen in thrilling encounter
THREE IN A ROW: Scotstown captain Damien McArdle lifts the Mick McDuffy cup after the Monaghan SFC final. Picture: Philip Fitzpatrick/Sportsfile
Scotstown completed a three-in-a-row of Monaghan SFC titles with an extra-time victory over Inniskeen in Clones. The 2023 Ulster Club finalists were pushed all the way by an Inniskeen side who were chasing their first county title in 77 years, but the introduction of Ryan O’Toole and Conor McCarthy helped push the game beyond their reach.
Scotstown had gone through the entire campaign without O’Toole and McCarthy due to injuries, but they came on to make an impact in the closing stages, with the latter contributing 0-3 and winning a handful of frees after coming on in the full-forward line.
Inniskeen battled gamely throughout their second SFC final in three years, with Andrew Woods and Seán and Conor Jones combining for 0-14, but their challenge faded during extra-time, which Scotstown won by 0-7 to 0-2. Rory Beggan, Darren and Kieran Hughes, Shane Carey and current captain Damien McArdle all started Scotstown’s 2013 county final win, while Tommy Mallen top-scored on the day, just 12 months on from winning a minor title.
Scotstown almost had the ball in the net from the very first attack when Matthew Maguire was denied by Ronan Meegan, with Maguire converting his forward mark to open the scoring. Tommy Mallen and Jack McCarron were also on target during the first five minutes as Scotstown started strongly, although Inniskeen responded through Andrew Woods and Shane Hanratty. Seán Jones and Shane O’Connor brought the challengers within one on the 20-minute mark, but the excellent Mallen finished the half with scores from either side of the arc to make it 0-10 to 0-6 in Scotstown’s favour.
The Jones brothers kicked the first two scores of the second half to cut Inniskeen’s deficit to the minimum, only for a two-point free by Rory Beggan to keep Scotstown clear. A two-pointer from Woods and a close-range effort by Michael Monahan brought the Grattans level, before Scotstown ended a 21-minute wait for their first point from play of the second half, courtesy of Shane Carey, who added a free to double their lead. A second orange flag from Conor Jones levelled it up again, before Mallen’s sixth point was cancelled out by a close-range free by Woods. Both teams missed chances to win it during added time as the hour ended all-square at 0-15 apiece.
Scotstown faced the breeze again for the first half of extra-time, but they hit the first three points through Mallen, Conor McCarthy and Carey. A two-pointer from Seán Jones right on half-time kept Inniskeen in touch at 0-18 to 0-17, but that was their only score of the last 20 minutes. Frees by Carey and McCarron sandwiched a McCarthy two-point effort as Scotstown pulled away down the home stretch to set up an Ulster quarter-final meeting with Donegal champions Naomh Conaill.
: T Mallen 0-7 (1 2-pt); J McCarron 0-4 (1 2-pt, 2f); S Carey 0-4 (3f); C McCarthy 0-3 (1 2-pt); Matthew Maguire 0-2 (1m); R Beggan 0-2 (1 2-pt-f).
: S Jones 0-5 (1 2-pt, 2f); Andrew Woods 0-5 (1 2-pt, 3f); C Jones 0-4 (2 2-pt); S Hanratty, Michael Monahan, Shane O’Connor 0-1 each.
: R Beggan; D Murray, D McArdle (Capt.), D Connolly; Max Maguire, D Hughes, K Hughes; M McCarville, G McPhillips; T Mallen, S Carey, J Hamill; F Maguire, J McCarron, Matthew Maguire.
: R O’Toole for Connolly, C McCarthy for F Maguire (both 47); N Sherlock for Matthew Maguire (57).
: M McPhillips for Mallen (H-T); S Treanor for Hamill (14); J Carey for Max Maguire (17).
: R Meegan; S Kindlon, C Hanratty, C Gernon; C Meegan, M Monahan (Capt.), S O’Connor; O Monahan, H Monahan; S Hanratty, C McNulty, C Jones; G Burns, Andrew Woods, S Jones.
: D Meegan for Gernon (37); Aidan Woods for Burns (43); S Woods for H Monahan (56).
: R Malone (Castleblayney).
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