DECLAN BOGUE ON WHY SCOTSTOWN COULD BE EARLY FAVOURITES TO LAND ULSTER CLUB CROWN. . .
TWO goals in the final six minutes put a handsome gloss on this win, but the way established teams are falling all over the province, the evidence of this display is that Scotstown could be early favourites for Ulster.
According to manager Kieran Donnelly, they came up against a defensive side for the first time in this Championship season, and they made it work. After going in level at half-time they shot four unanswered points in the first four minutes of the second half to give themselves a platform.
With Derrygonnelly chasing a narrow gap at the end, Scotstown opened up the space for late goals from substitute Ross McKenna, who then turned provider for corner back Damian McArdle to net with a minute of normal time left.
“It is a different type of game,” said Scotstown manager Donnelly afterwards.
“It is a bit difficult when we haven’t come up against it all year. And we had to really work on it this past couple of weeks. But we have good players as well so we should be able to counteract any system really.”
While he will be keeping a lid on things, it was left to opposite number, Derrygonnelly’s coach Brendan Rasdale to offer an unguarded assessment.
“They are a very complete team. We are probably also, in my mind, in for an Ulster club. They realise they have a special group of players to step into an Ulster club,” said Rasdale.
“Are they the favourites? Yeah. Look, that level of composure in that group? They can do it for sure.
“They battled very hard, they used their physique and their power. It wasn’t that our boys wilted in the battle, but they were really convincing.”
The Fermanagh champions felt that they could get at Scotstown’s full back line, but never truly utilised their height advantage in that area. They were helped along by the games’ first goal after 19 minutes, when Shane Carey clipped Shane McGullion’s heels in the penalty area and Conall Jones converted past Rory Beggan.
The lack of a card for that trip was one of a series of questionable calls by referee Paudie Hughes, who continues to amaze spectators, managers and players alike, not least Rasdale who said: “There was once or twice when we were getting a bit of momentum, you need the break of the ref and you need the break of the ball and we definitely didn’t get the break of the ref today.
“He wasn’t decisive, but I would be interested to see the video back.” With Darren Hughes growing into this game and beating Ryan Jones in the battle for kickouts, Scotstown had a grip on midfield, while Tiernan Daly was clinging on by his fingernails with his marking job on Kieran Hughes.
Add in Conor McCarthy who was typically effervescent in attack, and they are a formidable side.
For all that, they were just two points ahead with ten minutes left on the clock when Derrygonnelly sent on veteran Kevin Cassidy to unlock something.
The contest was finished however after Darren Hughes caught a Derrygonnelly kickout from Jack Kelly and moved it instantly to McCarthy. He played a beautifully weighted ball to McKenna who drilled it low to the net.
Two minutes later McKenna rode a couple of tackles before releasing corner back Damian McArdle and he made no mistake from close range.
Scotstown now go on to face Down champions Burren in the quarter final on November 3rd.
SCOTSTOWN: R Beggan 0-2f; 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 Heaphey (51), M McCarville for Maguire (57), F McPhillips for McDevitt (59), D McCrudden for J McCarey (62), J Turley for Boylan (65) Yellow cards: Carey (48), F Caulfield (54), K Hughes (58), D Hughes (60)
Black cards: 0
Red cards: 0
DERRYGONNELLY: J Kelly; M Jones, T Daly, E McHugh; D Greene, D Cassidy, G McGinley; Stephen McGullion 0-1, R Jones 0-2; Leigh Jones 0-1, G Jones 0-4, 2f, Shane McGullion; P Ward 0-1, C Jones 1-2, 1-0 Pen, Gary McKenna
Subs: N Gallagher for Shane McGullion (20m), O Smyth for Greene (48), K Cassidy for McKenna (50), A McKenna for Leigh Jones (55),
Yellow cards: D Cassidy (31), McHugh (33), Daly (35), M Jones (41), Ward (45)
Black cards: C Jones (61, replaced by S Gilroy)
Red cards: D Cassidy (60)
Referee: Padraig Hughes (Armagh).