Scotstown 1-14 Ballybay 0-7
Scotstown are back as senior champions of Monaghan, after an absence of just one year, following what in the end was a comfortable victory over Ballybay in Clones on Sunday.
Played in sweltering conditions it was only a meaningful contest in the first half, with Ballybay getting off to the better start, but by half-time Scotstown had overhauled them to go in two points ahead, 0-8 to 0-6.
Scotstown could have had this game wrapped up in the third quarter but poor finishing saw them hit a series of bad wides before they settled and points by Conor McCarthy and Shane Carey, both from frees, saw them by four at the second half water break.
An indication of the one way nature that had taken over can be gauged from the fact that Ballybay only registered one point in the entire second half, while Scotstown had taken a seven-point lead by the end of normal time. A brilliant solo goal by Connor McCarthy put the icing on the cake in the 32nd minute.
Scotstown: R Beggan (0-3, two frees, one 45); J McDevitt, D McArdle, D Morgan; M Meehan; R O'Toole, F Caulfield, D Hughes; K Hughes (0-1), C McCarthy (1-5, three frees); S Carey (0-3, two frees), P Sherlock (0-1), M Maguire (0-1); O Heaphey, F Maguire. Subs: B Boylan for F Caulfield (38 mins), S Mohan for O Heaphey (50), R McKenna for F Maguire (52), E Caulfield for M Maguire (60), J Hamill for J McDevitt (60).
Ballybay: A Counihan; M Hannon, D Wylie, E McCarney; B Wylie, C Lennon, R Wylie; C Galligan, D Ward; T McSkeane (0-1), S McGuinness, T Kerr (0-1, free); P O'Neill, C McGuinness (0-1), P Finlay (0-4, four frees). Subs: D Drury for D Wylie (48 mins), T O'Neill for P O'Neill (48), D McCann for S McGuinness (53), S McQuillan for B Wylie (57), A Toner for C Galligan (57).
Referee: P McEnaney (Corduff).
