Universal Graphics Junior Football Championship Round 1A

Killanny 1-14 Scotstown 2-11                                   1/6/14

The JFC produced a second draw of the weekend in Blackhill on Sunday, when Killanny and Scotstown couldn’t be separated in an exciting game. Goals by Seán Mohan and Elliott Maguire had Scotstown ten points ahead in the early stages of the second half, but the introduction of Killanny player-manager Andy Callan sparked a dramatic turnaround. Callan scored six points and was involved in another couple of scores as Killanny hit 1-9 without reply to take the lead, but there was still time for Scotstown to hit two points to salvage a draw. Mohan, Maguire, James Hamill and Paul Sherlock led the way for Scotstown, while Callan, Tiernan and Ronan Duffy and Cillian Leegan were prominent for Killanny.

Good points from play by Elliott Maguire and Seán Mohan got Scotstown off to a good start, while their fellow full-forward Donnacha Dolan had a shot saved by Declan McGlew at the end of a move involving Micheál McCarville and Tommy Moyna. Mark Conlon had a shot at goal blocked at the other end, before Dolan set up Mohan to fire home the opening goal. Paul Sherlock added a point after good work by Conor Caulfield and Maguire, before a James Hamill catch allowed Emmet McCrudden to move Scotstown seven clear. An Eddie Markey point got Killanny off the mark on 14 minutes, but Adrian Carbin converted a 25-metre free for a foul on Mohan and a fine score by Hamill increased Scotstown’s lead to eight. Steven McMahon hit a well-taken point and although Maguire quickly replied, the Killanny centre-forward added a second after good approach play by Cillian Leegan and Michael Vernon and he then won and scored a 20-metre free. Dolan had a goal chance at the end of the half, following a one-two with Maguire, but his shot crept past the post, meaning Scotstown led by 1-7 to 0-4 at half-time.

A good point by Sherlock started the second half and although Conlon responded for Killanny, Scotstown soon had another goal when Sherlock turned provider for Maguire to finish. Mohan and McMahon then swapped points from 20-metre frees after fouls on Shane Rice and Markey, before Andy Callan announced his arrival with a brace of fine scores from play. Callan also converted a 25-metre free for a foul on Daryl Traynor, before sending in a dangerous cross which Tiernan Duffy punched to the net to halve Killanny’s deficit to three points. Callan added a point and he combined with Dermot Leegan to release fellow sub Conor Vernon to fist over. McMahon and Conlon linked up to create another point for Callan, who followed it up by swinging over a fine effort from distance, before Cillian Leegan linked up with Dermot Leegan to make it 1-9 in a row for Killanny. Callan was then penalised for over-carrying, however, to give McCarville the chance to end 20 scoreless minutes for Scotstown from a 35-metre free and they got back on level terms when Mohan tapped over a 13-metre free for an off-the-ball foul on Maguire.

Killanny: D McGlew; R Berg, R Duffy, D McArdle; P Markey, C Leegan (0-1), C Wakely; T Duffy (Capt., 1-0), D Traynor; K Crawley, S McMahon (0-4, 2f), M Vernon; M Conlon (0-1), E Markey (0-1), T Kiernan.

Subs: A Campbell for Crawley, C Vernon (0-1) for Markey (both H-T), A Callan (0-6, 1f) for Kiernan (inj., 33 mins), D Leegan for M Vernon (43), L Byrne for Conlon (58).

Scotstown: C Mohan; R Caulfield, M McCague (Capt.), J McDevitt; S Rice, P Sherlock (0-2), E McCrudden (0-1); C Caulfield, J Hamill (0-1); T Moyna, M McCarville (0-1f), A Carbin (0-1f); E Maguire (1-2), D Dolan, S Mohan (1-3, 0-2f).

Subs: R Sheehan for Carbin (45), G McCrudden for Moyna (54), M Corrigan for R Caulfield (58).

Referee: P Caulfield (Blackhill).