Platinum Tanks RFC Division 1 O’ Duffy Cup Final

Scotstown 3-14 Monaghan Harps 2-4

Scotstown’s reserves comfortably took the Platinum Tanks Reserve Football Championship title following what proved to be a comprehensive win over Monaghan Harps on Wednesday night at St Mellan’s Park, Truagh.

The Harps could argue however that the scoreline in some ways doesn’t reflect the way the game went, having hit the crossbar three times for goal chances, and the uprights three times for point scoring opportunities.

By contrast, Scotstown were much more economical with the possession they had, and found themselves a goal and a point up after two minutes, through Daniel McNally and Jamie McCarey respectively.

Eimhin Morahan settled the Harps into the game with two points, including one from a free. However, Scotstown would then raise the next five white flags in succession, including braces from Orin Heaphey and Ruairi Sheehan, to leave the score 1-8 to 0-2 in favour of the blues after 24 minutes.

The Harps though were soon offered a lifeline. Eimhin Morahan drove into the Scotstown box and was pulled down by Jack McDevitt. Referee Ciaran Mulligan awarded a penalty and gave McDevitt a black card. The resulting spot kick was well dispatched by Morahan to reduce the margin to six points.

Soon after, Kieran McGuirk responded for Scotstown with a good point to leave the score 1-9 to 1-2 at the change of ends.

Scotstown started the second half exactly like the first, with a goal and a point from substitutes Mattie Maguire and Tommy Moyna respectively.

Despite a point by Shane McMahon to resettle the Harps, the men in green conceded a calamitous own goal, following a shot from Francis Maguire and a series of deflections.

Scotstown pushed their lead out to 16 points by the 51^st minute but then the Harps scored their second goal, a well fisted effort from Dylan McKenna following a high ball into the Scotstown box.

From there, the game petered out to its inevitable conclusion with Scotstown winning the match by 3-14 to the Harps’ 2-4.

Padraig Keenan accepted the O’ Duffy Cup and now attention will turn for both teams back to the Reserve Football League.

SCOTSTOWN: Cian Mohan, Kevin McMeel, Padraig Keenan, Kieran McGuirk 0-1, Brendan Boylan, Caolan McElwain 0-1, Jack McDevitt, Micheál McCarville, Ryan O’Toole, Jamie McCarey 0-4 (3f), Orin Heaphey 0-2, Jason Carey, Ruairi Sheehan 0-2, Francis Maguire 1-2 (1f), Daniel McNally 1-0.

Subs: Tommy Moyna 0-1 for Jack McDevitt (Black Card), Mattie Maguire 1-0 for Jason Carey, Mark McDevitt 0-1 for Micheál McCarville, Barry McMeel for Kieran McGuirk, Nessan McCrudden for Jamie McCarey, Peter Hamill for Francis Maguire.

MONAGHAN HARPS: Darragh Hannon, Tommy Croarkin, David Lowry, Jamie Shields, John Mulligan, James McKenna, Niall McManus, Dylan McKenna 1-0, Aidan Burns, Francis Lynch, Éimhín Morahan 1-2, Shane McMahon 0-1, Francis Lynch, Shane Coyle 0-1, Conor McCrystal.

Subs: Conor Duffy for Francis Lynch