GREENFIELD FOODS SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP.

Scotstown 0-18, Carrickmacross 0-12.

Scotstown’s aspirations of retaining the Mick Duffy Cup are back on track following this 6 points victory over Carrickmacross in a fairly run-of-the-mill affair in Aughnamullen on Sunday afternoon last and a result that sees Carrickmacross exit the series. Led by the Hughes brothers, Darren at full forward, who finished with 6 points and Kieran at centre back, along with Francis Caulfield in midfield, Scotstown always held an edge after racing into a 5 points lead in the opening 6 minutes. This however was somewhat short of a vintage Scotstown performance and they will know that they will have to improve substantially if they are to retain their crown. Scotstown led at half-time by 0-12 to 0-7 with Carrickmacross upping the tempo somewhat in the second-half and enjoying plenty of possession but ultimately lacking the firepower to turn it around completely. They got the margin down to 3 ten minutes into the 2^nd half but that was as good as it got with tempers then threatening to flare in the closing stages and Scotstown finishing the game with 14 players following the dismissal of Fergal McPhillips on a straight red card.

Teams and Scorers: Scotstown:  Rory Beggan 0-2 (2f), Fergal McPhillips, Mark Duffy, Pauric Keenan, Seanie Mohan 0-1, Kieran Hughes 0-3 (2f), Brendan Boylan, Francis Caulfield, James Turley, Orin Heaphey, Donal Morgan, Ross McKenna, Shane Carey 0-6 (4f), Darren Hughes 0-6, Paul Sherlock. Subs: Francis Maguire for O Heaphey, Damien McArdle for B Boylan, Ruairi Sheehan 0-1 for M Duffy, William Carroll for J Turley.

Carrickmacross: Andrew O’Rourke, Jamie Guinan, Conor Duffy 0-1, Aaron Murray, Caolan Martin, Cillian Cromwell, Declan Finnegan, Aaron Lynch 0-5 (5f), Peter O’Hanlon 0-3 (2f), Kevin O’Hanlon, Ryan O’Connor, David Eakin, Stephen O’Hanlon 0-1, James Conlon 0-2, Gary McEnaney. Subs: Conor McEnaney for D Eakin, Sean Downey for R O’Connor, Ryan Carolan for A Murray, Adrian McCluskey for J Guinan.               Referee Martin McGinn (Aughnamullen)