HANDS up – who saw this one coming? Be honest now.
No, me either. Because this was the kind of heavyweight clash that dominates barstool talk night upon night leading in, opinions and arguments flying in every direction.
Only a last-gasp Rory Beggan free could separate this pair after an absorbing game at Pairc Esler last year, and there was nothing in the form guide to suggest this semi-final showdown would be any different.
With defending champions Glen gone, and the relatively unknown quantities – where provincial pedigree is concerned anyway – of Clann Eireann and Errigal Ciaran on the other side, a golden opportunity awaited.
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The Magpies have housed the Seamus Mac Ferran Cup in recent times but Scotstown – beaten by the Watty Graham’s in last year’s decider – might never get a better chance to end their long, long wait to return to the Ulster throne.
After Saturday night, that dream has never appeared more distant.
Kickstarted by two fortuitous goals just before half-time, compounded by a couple more minutes after, Kilcoo turned on the afterburners and ran over the top of the Monaghan champions in almost contemptuous fashion.
At times early in the second half this eagerly-anticipated Ulster semi-final more closely resembled a Go Games gathering, the Magpies utilising their electrifying pace to punch holes in a static, stunned Scotstown rearguard.
While Karl Lacey’s side skated over a surface that held up well to the previous night’s deluge, An Bhoth trudged through treacle.
Miceal Rooney is the Magpies’ unlikely new bear in the square, finishing up with two goals from wing-back. Younger brother Chrissy got one too, minutes after the ball had rebounded off the unfortunate Shane Carey and into the net after Rory Beggan brilliantly denied Jerome Johnston.
Those two goals in two minutes before the break proved the killer – but the warning lights were already flashing.
Pushing up and going man to man got Scotstown over the line against Kilcoo last year as they battled back from four down, squeezing the life out of the Magpies until Beggan’s boot delivered the final, brutal blow.
Twelve months on, lessons had been learned as, instead of running into trouble, they manoeuvred the ball expertly into areas of clear and present danger before showcasing the return of their ruthless edge.
Still, with a big wind at their backs, a series of early wides left worried looks on the Kilcoo faces in the stand. Jerome Johnston passed up a chance to fire into an empty net from long range just three minutes in after a stray Ryan O’Toole pass left Beggan in no man’s land.
That was warning number one.
Worse was to follow for the Kilcoo forward when, four minutes before half-time – and Scotstown presumably content enough to be at 0-4 apiece – brother Shealan burst through and fired a shot that Beggan could only palm back out.
It wasn’t quite last second of extra-time in an All-Ireland final against Kilmacud close, but it was close nonetheless. Probably a couple of metres. But as Jerome prepared to ripple the net, his right foot gave way, and the ball spun to safety.
Warning number two.
Referee Sean Hurson had allowed advantage for a foul on Ceilum Doherty seconds earlier. Jerome stood over the free from 21 metres and curled it onto the upright. It had one of those nights written all over it.
Then came third time lucky – very lucky, in this case.
After a nightmare 60 seconds, Jerome Johnston again found himself in space. He struck the ball sweetly this time but his shot was saved, Carey the poor soul with the own goal to his name as the ball slammed off his back and trickled over the line.
If that wasn’t hammer blow enough for Scotstown, two minutes later Aaron Morgan’s effort came back off the post, landed plum in the hands of Chrissy Rooney, and he calmly slotted low to Beggan’s left.
Scotstown were shell-shocked. Darren Hughes, heavily strapped up and stationed on the edge of the square, had barely seen the ball. Jack McCarron too. Ceilum Doherty started on Conor McCarthy before young Jack Devlin took over the job, coping admirably.
An Bhoth needed to come out all guns blazing to stand any chance – but it was Kilcoo who killed off the game in impressive style. When they click like this, their athleticism, and their decision-making at pace, is a joy to behold.
Doherty pulled Scotstown apart before laying off for Rooney to slam home four minutes into the second half. Game over.
But Kilcoo were far from done yet.
Maybe memories of the heartache suffered in Newry were still fresh, the Magpies with no intention of removing their foot from the pedal, as if punishing David McCague’s men for their insolence.
The close-run thing against Crosserlough a few weeks earlier had stood to them too. The Down championship, this year more than most others, was won with the handbrake up; their sword barely sharpened as the provincial arena awaited.
The Cavan champions provided the kind of wake-up call that could have seen their campaign end there and then. Instead, they weathered an almighty storm, and are much the better for it.
Shealan Johnston was unstoppable at times, Eugene Branagan popped up everywhere, Anthony Morgan is in the form of his life, Darryl Branagan revelled in the second half space available – and he was the architect of Kilcoo’s fifth goal after buccaneering through the middle 35 minutes in.
Doherty called for it, got it, then nonchalantly placed a left-footed shot into Beggan’s top corner; the Cole Palmer celebration capping off a barely believable eight minutes either side of the break.
Scotstown kept plugging away – what else could they do? – but it was as demoralising a day as the years will have brought. They had no choice other than to go for broke but, with Beggan marooned at midfield, the goal tally could have ended up in double figures.
Instead just one more came as the seconds ticked towards the long whistle, Jerome Johnston finding Miceal Rooney who, with an empty goal at his mercy, made no mistake for his second of the night.
This one will have tasted sweet alright, but there was no great outpouring of emotion at the end; no huge cheers or celebrations. They gathered at the fence behind the goal, did a bit of a warm-down, a short huddle, then funnelled down the tunnel and out of sight.
For a group of men on a mission to get back to where they believe they belong, this was business as usual. They will take some stopping.
Kilcoo: N Kane (0-1, 45); N Branagan, R McEvoy, C Rogers; M Rooney (2-0), D Branagan, E Branagan, C Doherty (1-0); Aaron Morgan (0-1), R Johnston (0-2); J Devlin, Anthony Morgan (0-1), S Johnston (0-1); C Rooney (1-1), J Johnston (0-3, 0-1 free). Own goal: S Carey (1-0). Subs: C Laverty for Rooney (42), N Rodgers for Devlin (55), M Hynes for R Johnston (60+3)
Black card: S Johnston (60)
Yellow card: R Johnston (49)
Scotstown: R Beggan (0-2, frees); D Murray (0-2), D McArdle, J McKevitt; R O’Toole, K Hughes, C McCarthy (0-1); M McCarville (0-1), G McPhillips; J Carey, S Carey (0-1, free), J Hamill (0-2), F Maguire; J McCarron (0-2, 0-1 free), D Hughes. Subs: M Maguire for F Maguire (33), N Sherlock for J Casey (36), R McKenna (0-1) for Hamill (43), M McPhillips (0-1) for G McPhillips (46), E Caulfield (0-01) for McDevitt (55)
Black card: D McArdle (60+1)
Yellow cards: D Hughes (60), S Carey (60+4)
Referee: S Hurson (Tyrone)
