Gormley uPVC Senior Football Championship

Scotstown 2-15 Magheracloone 0-8             19/8/12

  

Scotstown got their SFC campaign back on track with a convincing win over Magheracloone in Ballybay on Sunday evening. Goals by Orin Heaphey and Darren Hughes were the killer blows as Scotstown cruised to a surprisingly comfortable victory. After losing to Currin in the first round and slipping into the relegation zone, Scotstown are firmly back on the right path, as this was their fifth consecutive win. Shane Carey, Heaphey, Darren and Kieran Hughes, James Turley and William Carroll led the way for Scotstown, who were able to withdraw the elder Hughes brother before full-time as a precaution after he picked up a knock late in the first half. Magheracloone had Gavin Doogan and Pete Ward back from foreign shores, but James Ward was clearly struggling with injury and he made no impact at full-forward, leaving Paul Farnan and Tommy Freeman fighting a hopeless battle.

Magheracloone were quicker out of the blocks, as Tommy Freeman got on the end of a high ball in from Gavin Doogan to open the scoring, before Damien Freeman doubled their lead. Shane Carey got Scotstown up and running, however, with a well-struck free from the left wing after Michael Jones had been penalised for touching the ball on the ground and he equalised on seven minutes when he tapped over a 20-metre free for a foul on Paul Grant. Gerry Finnegan linked up with Paudie Finnegan to regain Magheracloone’s lead, but a foul on Darren Hughes allowed Carey to send over his third free and Scotstown edged ahead for the first time when Carey turned provider for Paul Grant to kick their first point from play.

Grant quickly added a point from play after Dermot McCrudden caught a long ball from Darren Hughes and Scotstown took charge on 17 minutes when Carey and Darren Hughes combined to set up Orin Heaphey to tap the ball into the empty net for his second goal in two championship matches. A 25-metre free by Kieran Hughes, after a foul on McCrudden, increased Scotstown’s lead to six, although Tommy Freeman got one back for Magheracloone before linking up with Noel Tuite to create a point for Paul Farnan.

Scotstown had the last say of the half, as Kieran Hughes floated over a superb score from a free way out on the right wing, following a foul on Donal Morgan. That had last year’s beaten finalists 1-7 to 0-5 to the good at half-time.

Darren Hughes shrugged off his knock to burst through and kick a great point off his left foot almost straight from the throw-in for the second half and Carey tapped over a close-range free for a foul on Grant to open up a seven-point gap. Elliott Maguire fired a goal chance just over the bar with his first touch after strong work by James Turley and Scotstown put the result beyond doubt on 38 minutes when Darren Hughes punched a McCrudden cross home for their second goal.

They could have made it three but for Pete Ward’s interception from a McCrudden pass which was destined for Carey, who sent a shot narrowly wide just a couple of minutes later. Tommy Freeman won and scored a 25-metre free for Magheracloone, but Kieran Hughes responded in kind after a foul on Maguire. Heaphey linked up with Turley to curl over a fine score with the outside of his left foot, before Kieran Hughes released Carey to kick his fifth point. Rory Beggan got down well to keep a Paul Jones shot out and he also stopped a speculative effort by Magheracloone sub Ciarán Duffy.

Jones got a point back for Magheracloone, but a well-taken effort by Carey and a point from sub Damien McArdle moved Scotstown further clear. Damien Freeman finished the scoring with a point late on, but it was no consolation for Magheracloone, who made their earliest exit from the championship in a number of years. Scotstown will play Carrickmacross in Clontibret in the next round next Sunday evening.

 

 

Scotstown: R Beggan; D Morgan, W Carroll, E Caulfield; M Duffy, J Turley, F McPhillips; F Caulfield (Capt.), D Hughes (1-1); S Carey (0-6, 4f), K Hughes (0-3f), P O’Hara; P Grant (0-2), O Heaphey (1-1), D McCrudden.

Subs: E Maguire (0-1) for O’Hara (35 mins), J Hamill for Grant, B McGinnity for Heaphey (49), D McArdle (0-1) for McCrudden (50), D McNally for D Hughes (inj., 52).

 

Magheracloone: S Duffy; M Jones, P Farnan (0-1), M Gilsenan; David Freeman, P Tuite, P Ward; N Tuite, G Doogan; G Finnegan (0-1), P Jones (0-1), Damien Freeman (Capt., 0-2); P Finnegan, J Ward, T Freeman (0-3, 1f).

Subs: K Gilsenan for G Finnegan (36), C Duffy for J Ward (inj., 42), C Burns for M Gilsenan (inj., 50), J Kieran for G Doogan (53).

 

Referee: S Gilsenan (Donaghmoyne).