GRM Minor Football League Division One Final

Scotstown 2-9 Castleblayney 1-11                            8/9/12

 

Scotstown overcame a slow start to edge out Castleblayney in the GRM MFL Division One Final at sunny Drumhowan on Saturday. Scotstown trailed by three points at half-time, but they gradually gained the upper hand in the second half and a brace of goals in the last ten minutes by Ruairí Sheehan won it for them, even though Blayney set up a nervy finish with a late goal by converted full-forward Fergal McGeough. Sheehan had a frustrating day for large parts, closely marked by Niall McCann, but he came into his own in the closing stages, while Conor McCarthy also became increasingly influential, as did Donnacha Dolan after his move out from full-forward. Evan Murray and Caolán McElwain also played well for Scotstown, while Barry Hanratty, McCann, McGeough and Fergal Malone were best for Blayney.

Castleblayney were first off the mark with a point from Ronan McNamara and although Evan Murray got forward from centre-back to bring Scotstown level, Aaron McNamara regained Blayney’s lead and they almost went further ahead when Barry Hanratty broke through, only to have his shot saved by Scotstown goalkeeper Conor Forde. John Beattie kicked another Blayney point at the end of a move started by a textbook tackle by corner-back Niall McCann and Kevin Mackin added another to open up a three-point gap. Mackin and David McMahon then combined to create a point for Aidan McElroy, but Scotstown got their first score in 18 minutes when Seán Mohan tapped over a 20-metre free for a foul on Ruairí Sheehan.

Hanratty had a shot blocked down at the other end and although Scotstown closed to within two thanks to a point from play by Conor McCarthy, McMahon booted a well-struck 45-metre free over the bar following a foul on Brandon Duffy. Scotstown had a chance in injury-time when goal-poacher McCarthy raced through, but his first shot was blocked by Fergal Malone and his follow-up effort was also stopped by McCann. That maintained the Faughs’ 0-6 to 0-3 half-time lead.

Mohan kicked the first point of the second half for Scotstown after a Blayney player had been penalised for a throw, before Micheál McCarville made a good catch to set up McCarthy to cut the gap to the minimum. McMahon landed a free from out on the left wing after a foul on Duffy, but Ruairí Sheehan provided a quick reply after a pass from Donnacha Dolan, who fisted the equalising point after he had been released by Tom Moyna.

McMahon won and scored a 20-metre free to get Blayney back on the front foot going into the final quarter, but a well-taken point by Sheehan levelled it up once again and Scotstown struck a crucial blow with ten minutes to go when Murray and McCarthy linked up to put Sheehan through for the game’s first goal. Blayney had a chance of an almost immediate response when McMahon bore down on goal, but he was denied by Forde and Duffy failed to make a proper connection with the rebound. A 25-metre free by Aaron McNamara, after a foul on Hanratty, kept Blayney in touch, but McCarthy linked up with Brendan Boylan to kick a good point for Scotstown.

Beattie got a point back for Blayney, but Scotstown’s second goal opened up a five-point margin with just three minutes left on the clock, when Blayney keeper Micheál Brennan looked to have stopped Sheehan’s shot only to let it slip from his hands into the net. Aaron McNamara tapped over a 20-metre free for a foul on Fergal McGeough to give Blayney a glimmer of hope and they set up a big finish when McGeough fired home in injury-time, but they failed to take a couple of chances of a last-gasp equaliser.

The Fergal Shannon Cup was presented to Scotstown captain Tom Moyna by Count Secretary Seán McKenna. Both sides are back in action in championship semi-finals next Saturday, when Scotstown play Monaghan Harps and Castleblayney face Carrickmacross.

 

Scotstown: C Forde; B Harraghy, C McElwain, E King; C Maguire, E Murray (0-1), M Fox; M McCarville, R Caulfield; J Turley, T Moyna (Capt.), S Mohan (0-2f); C McCarthy (0-3), D Dolan (0-1), R Sheehan (2-2).

Subs: B Boylan for Fox (inj., 11 mins), J Carey for Mohan (58), M McCrarren for Murray, B McDevitt for Boylan (inj., 59).

 

Castleblayney: M Brennan; N McCann, F McGeough (Capt., 1-0), F Malone; A McNamara (0-3, 2f), M Kelly, J Walshe; B Hanratty, C McNally; R McNamara (0-1), D McMahon (0-3f), A McElroy (0-1); B Duffy, K Mackin (0-1), J Beattie (0-2).

 

Referee: D Hurson (Drumhowan).