AIB Ulster Club SFC: Scotstown secure dramatic win

AIB Ulster Club SFC Quarter-Final

Scotstown 2-21 Magherafelt 2-20 AET

By Kevin Egan at St. Tiernach’s Park

Scotstown’s cuteness and know-how just about trumped Magherafelt’s energy and drive in yet another thrilling AIB Ulster club quarter-final, one where not for the first time, Rory Beggan was a central player in a big championship win for his club.

The veteran custodian has often been celebrated for his ability to pepper the posts from distance, but this was one where traditional goalkeeping skills were all-important.

He made huge saves during the game to deny Cormac Murphy, Shane Heavron and Conall Higgins at various stages, he was outstanding under the high ball against a Magherafelt side that dropped six shots short and under the home side’s crossbar. Even though the Oak Leaf champions caused plenty of problems for the Scotstown kickout over the course of the game, he came up with the crucial restarts he needed at the end of normal time and full time to secure vital possessions.

In the case of the first, Scotstown needed a score and it was Nicky Sherlock who delivered, after Beggan picked out Damien McArdle and the centre back just about escaped a couple of tackles to set up that final attack.

For the second, Magherafelt had just cut a six-point lead to one on the back of a scrambled Caolan Higgins goal and Conall Higgins’ two-pointer, and a laser like ball into Max Maguire, one of the smallest men on the pitch, secured that last possession and sent them through to a semi-final clash with St. Eunan’s.

For Magherafelt, they’ll feel that they brought a lot of the raw material to the table that was needed, but fell short on efficiency. When it came to turnovers and support play, the O’Donovan Rossa club poured everything into this game, and while they were rocked by the concession of a well-worked Shane Carey goal early in the contest, they hit back in kind with a passing move that was flicked to the net by Cormac Murphy, and were well-placed at 1-6 each coming up to half-time.

That was until a breach offence opened the door for Beggan to kick his only score of the day, and with just a 30 seconds to play, instead of protecting the ball they lost the restart and were hammered again by a wonderful strike from Tommy Mallen.

Sherlock extended the lead after half-time with one of his four fine points from play but when it came to energy, Magherafelt looked to have an edge and they started to take over, pouring forward and rattling off four in a row, often with quick transition play.

It could and should have been more, and those misses looked costly when Mícheál McCarville and Francis Maguire picked out holes in the Derry club’s defence to extend the Scotstown lead.

The reigning Ulster kingpins still had a two-point lead going into the last five minutes but Magherafelt, despite leaving golden chance after golden chance behind them, kept coming. Cormac Murphy levelled the game with a fisted point, Shane Heavron went for another but while Beggan soared off the ground to make an incredible block, he did so dangerously in the opinion of Noel Mooney, so Heavron tapped over the lead free.

Cue Beggan’s pass to McArdle, and Sherlock’s pressure kick between the posts.

The sides were still level going into the second half of extra time, but once again Sherlock struck a crucial point, Tommy Mallen finished to the net after his first shot was parried by Odhran Lynch, and Jack McCarron and Max Maguire both added points.

What looked like enough to win the game well, proved to be just about enough to hang on instead.

Scorers for Scotstown: Tommy Mallen 1-3 (1tp), Shane Carey 1-2, Nicky Sherlock 0-4, Francis Maguire 0-2, Rory Beggan 0-2 (1tpf), Jack McCarron 0-2, Mattie Maguire 0-2, Mícheál McCarville 0-2, Kieran Hughes 0-1, Max Maguire 0-1.

Scorers for Magherafelt: Shane Heavron 0-6 (1tpf, 0-2f), Cormac Murphy 1-3, Patrick McLarnon 0-4, Conall Higgins 0-4 (1tp), Caolan Higgins 1-0, Rory Small 0-3 (1tp).

Scotstown: Rory Beggan; Darragh Murray, Ryan O'Toole, Damien McArdle; Donnchadh Connolly, Mark McCaffrey, Conor McCarthy; Mícheál McCarville, Kieran Hughes; Shane Carey, Nicky Sherlock, Darren Hughes; Tommy Mallen, Jack McCarron, Francis Maguire.

Subs: Mattie Maguire for Connolly (46), James Hamill for Murray (52), Gavin McPhillips for F Maguire (58), Max Maguire for Mallen (72), Seán Óg McElwain for K Hughes (75), Jason Carey for McCarville (78).

Magherafelt: Odhran Lynch; Johnny McErlain, James Murray, Conall Heron; Giuseppi Lupari, Michael McEvoy, Conor McCluskey; Dan Higgins, Eoin McEvoy; Patrick McLarnon, Cahir Spiers, Aidan McCluskey; Shane Heavron, Conall Higgins, Cormac Murphy.

Subs: Rory Small for Spiers (35), Caolan Crozir for Lupari (FT), Caolan Higgins for M McEvoy (67), Spiers for Murray (69)

Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan Gaels).