Drumlin Group of Credit Unions Senior Football League

Monaghan Harps 0-9 Scotstown 0-5                         22/5/11

Monaghan Harps had a four-point win at home to neighbours Scotstown in the SFL on Sunday. The Harps were missing a number of players, including injured county men Shane Smyth and David Hughes, but an excellent defensive performance laid the foundations for their fourth win of the campaign. Conor Galligan, Stephen Driver, Mark McCaughey, Shane Coyle and Donal Hahessy contributed well for the Harps, while Eddie Beggan, Donal Morgan and Darren Hughes were best for Scotstown, who are still without long-term injury victims Kieran Hughes, Mark Duffy and Pádraig Keenan.

The Harps were first off the mark through a point from play by Stephen McAleer after good work by Conor Galligan, but Emmet Caulfield brought Scotstown level from a 20-metre free after a foul on Mark McKenna. A brace of 20-metre frees by Donal Hahessy, after fouls on Emmett McArdle and Liam Hahessy, gave the Harps a two-point lead, which they were to hold through to half-time after a scrappy second quarter produced just one point for each team. Scotstown did have a chance of a goal when James Turley latched onto a Darren Hughes pass, but he could only find the side-netting. Paul Grant halved Scotstown’s deficit when he tapped over a close-range free for a foul on Eddie Beggan, but good approach play by Neil McAdam and Niall Hahessy created a point for Shane Coyle, which had the Harps ahead by 0-4 to 0-2 at half-time.

Turley got a point back for Scotstown less than a minute after the restart and they drew level a minute later when Donal Morgan broke forward to finish off a well-worked move started by Darren Hughes. Morgan popped up at the other end to deny McAleer a possible goal chance, but the Harps got their noses back in front when Donal Hahessy curled over a great score from a difficult angle after he had played a one-two with his brother Liam. Neil McAdam doubled the gap with a well-struck ’45, before Shane Coyle kicked a fine point at the end of a counter-attack involving Stephen Driver and Liam Hahessy. Scotstown got a point back through sub Orin Heaphey, but Galligan kicked an inspirational score for the Harps and they killed the game off when Donal Hahessy pointed a 25-metre free after Barry McMeel had touched the ball on the ground. The Harps are now just two points behind table-toppers Ballybay, while Scotstown remain level with Doohamlet in second-bottom.

Monaghan Harps: M Hughes; M McCaughey, S Driver, N McKenna; N Hahessy, C Galligan (0-1), S Coyle (0-2); S McAleer (0-1), P Coyle; P Murphy, N McAdam (Capt., 0-1, ’45), P Kelly; D Hahessy (0-4, 3f), E McArdle, L Hahessy.

Subs: P Rushe for Kelly (inj., 25 mins), C O’Hanlon for Murphy (53), C Devlin for P Coyle (inj., 58).

Temporary Sub: P Rushe for D Hahessy (7-9).

Scotstown: P Maguire; D McArdle, E Beggan, D Morgan (0-1); F McPhillips, D Hughes, E Caulfield (0-1f); F Caulfield (Capt.), D McCague; J Turley (0-1), P Grant (0-1f), S Carey; M McKenna, M Treanor, B McGinnity.

Subs: J Hamill for Grant (41), B McMeel for E Caulfield (inj., 45), O Heaphey (0-1) for McGinnity (50), P O’Hara for F Caulfield, W Carroll for McCague (52).

Referee: B McNally (Cremartin).