McQuillan Staircases Under-21 Football League Division One Final

Scotstown 4-11 Aughnamullen 1-11                        15/8/11

Scotstown hit four goals in the space of ten second-half minutes to turn Monday evening’s Under-21 FL Division One Final against Aughnamullen on its head. Scotstown found themselves five points down eight minutes into the second half at Cremartin, but they scored 3-1 without reply in just six minutes to regain the title they last won in 2009. Scotstown took 29 minutes to score from play – in contrast with Aughnamullen’s nine first-half points from play – but the half-time introduction of Scotstown seniors Kieran Hughes and Shane Carey turned the game in their favour, particularly Hughes, who scored 2-1 and was also involved in the other two goals.

Scotstown were slightly flattered by the winning margin, but they deserved victory based on their second-half performance, with Hughes, Adrian Carbin, Paul Sherlock, Damien McArdle and Daniel McCarey playing leading roles. Sam Dooney, Seán Sheridan, Mark McArdle and James Keenan played well for Aughnamullen, but their challenge faded in the last 20 minutes.

Aughnamullen got off to a great start, scoring the first four points. Patrick Sheridan got the opener and Mark McArdle added point number two after good work by Pete Dooney. Thomas Finnegan added a point after a one-two with Dooney, who was again involved when his short free set up Seán Sheridan to hit the target. Scotstown got off the mark with points from frees by Conor Caulfield and Adrian Carbin, after fouls on Orin Heaphey and James Hamill, but Patrick Sheridan replied for Aughnamullen after good approach play by Seán Sheridan and Sam Dooney, before both sides went close to finding the net.

Daniel McCarey made a great block at full stretch to clear a fisted effort from Thomas Finnegan off the line after good work by James Keenan, Pauric Bannigan and McArdle, before Sam Dooney intervened at the other end to clear when Hamill looked set to score after Aughnamullen keeper Séamus Courtney failed to hold onto an Orin Heaphey pass. A 30-metre free by Caulfield, after a foul on Hamill, and a ’45 by goalkeeper Rory Beggan brought Scotstown back to within a point, but Pete Dooney responded for Aughnamullen, following good work by Bannigan and McArdle.

Eoin Sheridan and Sam Dooney combined to set up a point for Seán Sheridan and although Carbin responded from a 30-metre free after a foul on Mark Treanor, Keenan broke through to fist over and restore the three-point gap. Scotstown got the last two points of the half, though, as Caulfield tapped over a close-range free for a foul on Heaphey and Stephen Sherry added their first score from play after a one-two with Hamill. That left just a point between the teams at half-time: Aughnamullen 0-9 Scotstown 0-8.

Like in the first half, Aughnamullen made the better start to the second half and they went close when Keenan crashed a shot off the post. McArdle kicked a good point from play and Keenan side-footed home the game’s first goal after he latched onto a long free by Finnegan. Scotstown’s response was immediate, however, as a fine move involving Carbin, Heaphey, Hamill and Kieran Hughes set up Paul Sherlock to fire to the net, before Hughes repeated the trick a minute later with a cracking shot into the top corner. Scotstown’s third goal came with a large slice of luck when a point-attempt by Hughes dropped over Courtney’s head and into the net and Hughes then turned provider for a point by Sherlock.

Seán Sheridan won and scored a 25-metre free to get a much-needed point for Aughnamullen, but Scotstown killed the game off when Heaphey pounced for their fourth goal after a high ball by Hughes had slipped out of Courtney’s grasp. Courtney did atone for that mistake by blocking a goalbound shot from Hamill after a good run by Shane Carey had made the chance, but Sherlock increased Scotstown’s lead further when he sent over after Carey had caught a Carbin free. Hughes tapped over a 20-metre free for a foul on Sherry and although Aughnamullen made a late goal chance, Colin Clerkin was blocked down by McCarey. Stephen Deery did get a point from the rebound, but a late free by Hamill sealed a nine-point win for Scotstown, who will go on to represent Monaghan in Ulster.

Scotstown: R Beggan (0-1, ’45); C Treanor, D McArdle, D McCarey; M Corrigan, D Caulfield, A Carbin (Capt., 0-2f); S Sherry (0-1), J Hamill (0-1f); S Rice, M Treanor, C Mohan; P Sherlock (1-2), C Caulfield (0-3f), O Heaphey (1-0).

Subs: S Carey for Rice, K Hughes (2-1, 0-1f) for Mohan (both H-T), D McCague for C Caulfield (53 mins), M Hand for Carey (56).

Aughnamullen: S Courtney; A Sheridan, S Ward (Capt.), E Fealy; S Conlon, S Dooney, E Sheridan; T Finnegan (0-1), C Wilson; P Bannigan, S Sheridan (0-3, 1f), J Keenan (1-1); P Sheridan (0-2), P Dooney (0-1), M McArdle (0-2).

Subs: C Clerkin for Wilson (40), N Keenan for A Sheridan (42), K Sheridan for Fealy (49), S Deery (0-1) for P Sheridan (54).

Referee: A Marron (Corduff).