POINT TAKEN, RORY TAKEN,
Beggan: Score from play just a rush of blood to head, I couldn’t miss it
ALL-STAR No.1 Rory Beggan laughed off his first Championship point from play as “a rush of blood to the head”.
Two days after winning a first All Star award, Monaghan’s goalkeeper crowned an unforgettable weekend with a special moment in Scotstown’s Ulster club win over Burren.
Known as one of the top long-range free-takers in the game, Beggan outfoxed the Burren defence in Newry on Sunday, chipping one short to team-mate Frank Caulfield, taking a return pass and sticking it over from play from about
25 metres out.
“I saw Frank standing there and he was awake and I thought I’d just try it. The boys were tuned in and the space opened up,” said Beggan (inset).
“He gave it back to me and if I had missed from there, I should quit!
“It was just a rush of blood to the head type of moment. When you’re coming up for a free, and there’s a man free, why not give it a go?” Beggan also scored a point from play in a club league game last year against Clontibret but the stakes were far higher in Newry this time. “I was delighted it came about and it helped us get over the line, but it’s not going to happen every day. Teams aren’t going to be asleep twice in a row.
“With the All-star as well, weekends don’t get any better than that. I’m sure there could be better ones for us down the road if we keep our heads screwed on.”
Scotstown fancy their chances of going all the way in Ulster this year. The four-in-a-row Monaghan champions haven’t really challenged in Ulster since 2015 when they lost the final to Crossmaglen.
The last two seasons have brought first-round exits but they have the quality to bring the trophy home for the first time since 1989.
“We do and we put ourselves up there, but that’s the beauty of it, I think a lot of teams come in and think ‘we can win this’,” Beggan said.
“They are all champions of their own county so they have something good about them.
“At the end of the day it’s a first round game for us. We’ve been here before and lost a lot of first rounds and we’ve only had one real go at Ulster.
“But going into every game we know we will fight to the last minute like we did there (against Burren). That will be no different against Coleraine the next day.” Derry champions Eoghan Rua are next up on Sunday week, with Cross taking on Donegal champions Gweedore in the other semi.
Scotstown kicked 13 first-half wides and twice led by seven points in the second half before easing off, with Burren closing to within a point. Scotstown also survived a strong penalty claim by Burren right at the end. Having been in total control for three-quarters of the game, Scotstown made hard work of it.
“We did and we always do,” added Beggan. “We played some great football and if we can put the shots that we missed over the bar the next day, we’ll be okay.”