Scotstown squeeze out Trillick in Ulster semi

Trillick 1-13  Scotstown 0-17

(After extra time)

THEY gave it everything. Trillick came agonisingly close to bucking the trend by ensuring there would be a Tyrone representative on Ulster Senior Club Championship final day, but they ultimately fell short in a titanic battle against Scotstown that went all the way to extra-time.

It could have been a different outcome with a bit more luck, and they had due cause to bemoan some of the refereeing decisions in the last couple of minutes of a rip-roaring contest, but when the dust settles they can certainly comfort themselves in the knowledge that they have done their community proud right from the outset of their championship campaign.

It seems a life-time ago now but their penalty shoot-out win over Loughmacrory in the first round of the Tyrone Championship a full two months ago set in motion a most memorable campaign topped off by their O’Neill Cup triumph over Errigal Ciaran. They didn’t leave it there, throwing the kitchen sink at their Ulster campaign and as stated, with a bit more luck they could be looking forward to an Ulster final berth with Glen in a fortnight’s time.

Indeed, it looked like they’d claimed a dramatic victory when Lee Brennan’s late ‘45’ sailed over the bar, but a Conor McCarthy equaliser sent the game into extra-time and a Scotstown team laced with county stars eventually came up trumps – but by God were they made to work for it.

As for how it all panned out, Scotstown wing-back Emmett Caulfied opened the scoring in the third minute with an audacious effort with the outside of the boot and Trillick were finding themselves under a lot of pressure from their own restart.

The Monaghan kingpins deployed a massive press with Rory Beggan central to their efforts. Indeed, Trillick lost possession from three kick-outs in-a-row early doors but Scotstown didn’t really take advantage with Jack McCarron striking three wides in the opening quarter.

Trillick beavered away but space was at a premium with a physically imposing Scotstown team clogging up the central channel and forcing a number of turnovers. Stalwart Kieran Hughes directed operations at the back while Brendan Boylan made sure that Lee Brennan. who really came good as the game wore on, would have to work extremely hard to get a shot off from his trusty left boot.

Scotstown doubled their advantage with a score from Shane Carey, while Trillick belatedly got their account up and running in the 18th minute and it was worth the wait. Seanie O’Donnell, so adept at finding space, teed up Richie Donnelly who planted the ball between the sticks from 40 metres.

It had been cagey enough but it seemed to spur both sets of players into life for the remaining ten minutes or so of the half.

Scotstown’s less-heralded players were doing well and Donal Morgan finished off a well-constructed point to leave the scoreboard reading 0-3 to 0-1 in their favour.

They nudged their noses further in front with a Rory Beggan special from a ’45’. That doesn’t do full justice to the score – he was tight on the sideline and he couldn’t have judged it any better. That’s what Rory Beggan does though curiously he missed a much more straightforward effort later in the half.

Trillick responded practically immediately with Ciarán Daly hoodwinking his marker with a clever run, latching onto a pass from Richie Donnelly, who gave another warrior-like display in the middle, and duly splitting the posts.

The Tyrone Champions had been a little slow at coming to the party but they were giving Scotstown their fill of it. Scotstown tagged on a point from a free – a softish one, truth be told – and Trillick responded in kind with a point from Daniel Donnelly following a flurry of handpasses.

There was a mammoth battle in the middle with Scotstown continuing to apply massive pressure to the Trillick restart with Rory Beggan exerting his considerable physical presence. They got their sixth point of the day, a nonchalant effort from Jack McCarron with 26 minutes remaining.

At this stage few would have predicted that Trillick would carry a lead into the second-half, but that’s exactly what transpired.

Seanie O’Donnell who looks a real star in the making scored a cracking point, fearlessly taking on his man and curling it over from 25 minutes. Even better was to follow as Rory Beggan’s restart was intercepted by James Garrity, slipping it through to O’Donnell who unleashed an unstoppable shot to the corner of the net.

Paul Falloon sounded the half-time whistle seconds later and despite taking 18 minutes to register their first score, Trillick led 1-4 to 0-6 at the interval.

Scotstown started the second-half in impressive fashion with Mattie Maguire taking advantage of some loose marking and Jack McCarron slotting a free as they regained the lead.

Opportunities were hard to come by but Lee Brennan threaded the ball through the eye of a needle to set up James Garrity, who was never going to miss.

The game was on a knife-edge but Scotstown have a world of experience at this level and tagged on the next two scores. Midfielder Michael McCarville kept his cool after All-Star Conor McCarthy did the donkey work with a punishing run from newly crowned All-Star Conor McCarthy, and Mattie Maguire landed a brilliant point from long-range as they moved into a 0-10 to 1-5 lead.

Trillick kept them honest with a Lee Brennan free with 48 minutes on the clock and they drew level as sub Colm Garrity after an assist from that man Seanie O’Donnell.

It was perfectly poised heading into the final ten minutes but Scotstown edged in front with a point from Kieran Hughes at a time when cool heads were required from both teams.

Trillick likewise are littered with big-game performers and they scored two points in as many minutes from Ryan Gray and Lee Brennan.

It was gripping stuff with turnovers at both ends of the pitch and Scotstown proved their mettle yet again with an equaliser. Darren Hughes wanted the free and didn’t get it, but he got back on his feet and passed the ball through to full-back Ryan O’Toole, who did the rest.

As the clock ticked into injury time, it was all set up for a winning point and it looked like Lee Brennan got it when he nailed a superb ’45’ with about 60 seconds of action remaining.

Scotstown were in the last chance saloon but Conor McCarthy showed immense leadership ability to time his run, win possession and pop over an equaliser with his weaker left foot.

Trillick are accustomed to extra-time so they’ll have felt quietly confident despite coughing up that late, late equaliser.

Their opponents had the better of the first interval, just about, however with Kieran Hughes scoring a worldie from downtown and Jack McCarron popping over a debatable enough free. Trillick managed a good point from their captain fantastic Rory Brennan in between, but they trailed by a point heading into the second period of extra-time.

Trillick drew level through a Lee Brennan free but Scotstown worked another score through ever-green Darren Hughes. Lady luck wasn’t on Trillick’s side as they initially won a scoreable free near the sideline only for it to be controversially overruled when the umpire said the ball had gone out of play in the build up.

There was only a minute or so remaining and Scotstown conjured up another free which was converted by McCarron. Lee Brennan slotted a free and there was still time to get an equaliser but it wasn’t to be as a gallant Trillick team oh-so-narrowly missed out on a place in the Ulster final.

The Scorers
Trillick
Lee Brennan (0-5, 0-3f, 0-1 ‘45’), Seanie O’Donnell (1-1), Rory Brennan, Richie Donnelly, Ciarán Daly, Ryan Gray, Daniel Donnelly, James Garrity and Colm Garrity (0-1 each)

Scotstown
Jack McCarron (0-5, 0-4f), Mattie Maguire and Kieran Hughes (0-2 each), Shane Carey (0-2, 0-1f), Ryan O’Toole, Conor McCarthy, Donal Morgan, Emmett Caulfied (0-1), Rory Beggan (0-1 ‘45’)

The Teams
Trillick
Joe Maguire, Stephen O’Donnell, Peter McCaughey, Daley Tunney, Seanie O’Donnell, Rory Brennan, Daire Gallagher, Richie Donnelly, Liam Gray, Ciarán Daly, Niall Donnelly, Ryan Gray, Daniel Donnelly, Lee Brennan, James Garrity. Subs: Colm Garrity for N Donnelly, Darragh McQuaid for Tunney, Damian Kelly for Gallagher

Scotstown
Rory Beggan, Brendan Boylan, Ryan O’Toole. Damien McArdle, Conor McCarthy, Donal Morgan, Emmett Caulfield, Darren Hughes, Michael McCarville, Jason Carey, Shane Carey, James Hamill, Mattie Maguire, Kieran Hughes, Jack McCarron. Subs: Ross McKenna for Maguire, Mark McPhllips for Hamill, Darragh Murray for J Carey, Ryan Malley for Morgan.