Magherafelt youth can conquer the experience of Scotstown in Ulster Ulster Senior Club Football Championship

FOR most of the Magherafelt team the Ulster club championship will be new ground.

There are still a few still there who fell flat against Kilcoo seven years ago but the manner in which they have won the Derry final indicates that there is more steel in this squad.

They will need it all against the Scotstown mean machine which has players still going strong after up to 20 years in the team.

By now, the Rossas manager Enda Muldoon and his highly qualified backroom men will have noticed that they are seen as no hopers in some quarters.

Quite recently an ‘expert’ giving his views on the Ulster club championship mentioned virtually every other team but Magherafelt and he has already installed Scotstown as champions. No doubt given the quality of trophy laden players they have, Scotstown deserve to be favourites but not on the odds shown.

Scotstown are based in the Tydavnet area of north Monaghan and, until 1960, there were several junior teams in the district. A meeting of minds agreed that it was better together and one club emerged in the name of Scotstown.

Twenty-four Monaghan and five Ulster titles later clearly indicates that the amalgamation worked. The club fields 36 teams in male and female football and has a paying membership of over 900.

Magherafelt have seven county titles but they have had their ups and downs over their 100 years in business. Four of their seven titles came between 1939 and 1949. For years they have had title winning under age titles but now they have been able to bring good teenage players through to being good senior players.

In winning the John McLaughlin Cup this year the Rossas had a few tight games but have always been able to hold off late comebacks. Two victories over Slaughtneil and one over an emerging Lavey team helped them to beat back to back champions Newbridge in a quite brilliant game of end to end football.

As manager Enda Muldoon pointed out: “Last year we cruised through to the final and lost. This year we had two tough games against Slaughtneil and one against Lavey, that helped us today!

Rossas must beware Beggan’s long distance ability

Derry fans will remember that it was a long distance free from goalkeeper Rory Beggan that knocked their team out of the Ulster Championship at Armagh. Beggan is a master of the two point free.

In their easy 1-24 to 0-14 Monaghan final win over Truagh Gaels the net minder scored nine points from frees - with four of them two pointers. Last year when Newbridge took them to extra time and penalties in terrible conditions it was Beggan who played the lead role.

Magherafelt can win midfield

When Newbridge lost to Scotstown last year it was the tall midfield duo of Michael McKaigue and Kieran Hughes who played a big part in the victory. The Rossas have Eoin McEvoy and Dan Higgins who have the height to match and maybe a bit more pace as well,

Another key man for the Monaghan champion is full back Ryan O’Toole who will always push foreword with his attackers. He scored 1-1 against Truagh in the county final. Here the lively Rossas number 14 Cormac Murphy will track him when he goes on a run.

Conor ‘Clucky’ McCluskey is enjoying the freedom of the half back line with his younger brother Aidan burning up the grass in font of him. The pair can open up any defence and with the more seasoned pair of Paddy McLarnon and Shane Heavron ready to snap up chances the Scotstown defenders will have a lot of chasing to do.

Scotstown have the luxury of having 35-year-old forward Jack McCarron coming off the bench. He will be in good company with goalie Rory Beggan the same age and the Hughes brothers Kieran who made his Monaghan debut in 2009 and brother Darren here years earlier. Over the last two years they have been bringing in more youthful players like Max Maguire, Tom Mallen, James Hamill and Matthew Maguire,

For the Rossas the return of experienced defender Michael McEvoy has been a real boost. The older bother of Eoin had missed several seasons with injury but now is flying fit.

Behind him James Murray has developed into the best full back in the county. Goalie Odhran Lynch is back to his best after missing a season with a hip injury. While Magherafelt may lack experience at this level they have a lot of pace and quality.

Twelve of their players have represented Derry at some level and they have a strong list of substitutes including Rory Small, Simon McErlain, Shea McGuckin, Caolan Higgins and Caolan Crozier. Pace is a vital ingredient of the now high speed nature of Gaelic football and that can take the Rossas into the semi final.

The winning teams

The teams that won their respective county titles were Scotstown: Rory Beggan, Mark McCaffrey, Ryan O’Toole,, Damian McArdle, Donnchadh Connelly, Darragh Murray, Darren Hughes, Michael McCarville, Kieran Hughes, James Hamill, Conor McCarthy, Shane Carey, Tom Mallen, Max Maguire, Matthew Maguire.

Top scorers: Rory Beggan 0-9, Ma Maguire 0-5 and Ryan O’Toole 1-1.

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

Top scorers: Conall Higgins 0-9, Aidan McCluskey 1-1, Eoin McEvoy and Shane Heavron 0-3, each, Cormac Murphy and Johnny McErlain 1-0 each.

Backroom Boys

Good teams will always have well qualified coaches and mentors guiding them along.

Magherafelt are managed by former All Star Enda Muldoon, alongside him are Stephen Kernan, a former Armagh player, Gavin Devlin, the current Louth senior manager, Ciaran Sloan, who looks after the fitness, and former club player Fergal Duffin.