Glen defeat Scotstown to retain Ulster title after Athletic Grounds thriller

Glen 0-13, Scotstown 0-11

Glen secured back to back Ulster Senior Football championships as three points inside the final 10 minutes broke Scotstown hearts in a thrilling decider at the Box-It Athletic Grounds on Sunday evening.

With the sides level after a titanic battle befitting the occasion, late points from the superb Conor Glass, Ciaran McFaul and Jody McDermott helped Malachy O'Rourke's become only the second Derry club to retain the Seamus McFerran Cup after Slaughtneil's victories of 2016 and 2017.

It was gripping, breathless stuff from both sets of players who deserve huge credit for an excellent game in terrible conditions. But what the weather stripped away in finesse, it replaced with drama as Glen fought back from a two point half-time deficit to underline exactly why they are the best team in Ulster!

Another date with Kilmacud now hovers on the horizon after Christmas but that's for another day. This day was to salute the now UNDISPUTED Kings of Ulster.

Not that they had it all their own way! Four times winners Scotstown had the elements at their backs in the opening half and signalled their intent at the throw-in with a inside trio of Darren Hughes, Jack McCarron and Conor McCarthy. The Monaghan message was clear - press home the advantage before half-time.

Hughes in particular caused Glen trouble with some clever movement that was pulling Emmet Bradley and Conor Glass into areas they didn't want to be; but it was All Star McCarthy who was having most influence on the scoreboard.

McCarthy won the foul from which Shane Carey opened his team's account on two minutes and when Rory Beggan's long ball was picked up by James Hamill to turn and score, the Farney champions were off to a perfect start.

But so often when his team has needed lifting, Conor Glass has been the man to step forward and the Derry star proved his worth again to help settle the reigning champions. First, his excellent free off the ground and into the wind on seven minutes got Glen up and running before he was fouled by Damien McArdle when he looked in on goal. Danny Tallon popped over the free and within an instant Glen were level.

Both sides struggled with the conditions at times, a fact reflected in two turnovers apiece inside the opening five minutes while both made passing and handling errors but, if anything, it only added to the spectacle as Glen settled into a first half counter attacking game that saw them turn around more than happy at only 0-7 to 0-5 down.

McCarthy's wonderful score edged Scotstown back in front and when Darren Hughes and Hamill extended the lead to 0-5 to 0-2 by the 25th minute, Glen had work to do. However, they started with a superb Tallon score, twisting and turning on a Ciaran McFaul pass to fire over off his unfavoured left foot.

From the restart, Michael Warnock fielded a huge Beggan kick-out inside his own '45' before accelerating away to tee up 'Man of the Match' Eunan Mulholland for a lovely outside of the boot point that left only the minimum between them.

Yet by that stage Mulholland might well have had a goal too after a lovely Glen move involving Ethan Doherty and Emmet Bradley ended with the half back seeing his fisted effort scrambled off the line by Beggan who required a defender to complete the clearance.

The second half started as they first ended; at 100mph! Winning the throw in, McCarthy accelerated into the Glen half to tee up McCarron for his first score of the day to extend Scotstown's advantage to 0-8 to 0-5. Yet Glen are nothing if not battled hardened and four minutes later the Derry champions were level.

A foul on Ethan Doherty saw Tallon reduce the deficit before Eunan Mulholland continued his own brilliant display with a third point as Beggan discovered the difficulties of restarting into the wind. Indeed it was no surprise with the Maghera men gained parity, though the scorer of the brilliant leveller - Ryan Dougan - might well have been.

Both sides passed up chances, Darren Hughes seeing a fisted effort bounce in front of an empty Glen goal while Jody McDermott sent a very scoreable mark wide before Ethan Doherty announced his arrival in the final with the excellent point that put Glen in front for the first time on 42 minutes.

The lead lasted only three minutes though as Carey's third free levelled for a third time and when Beggan strolled forward to fire over his 21st score of his championship campaign, the pendulum had swung back to Scotstown at 0-10 to 0-9.

Tiarnan Flanagan this time levelled and the scene was set for the final 10 minutes. First Glass edged his team ahead before Michael Warnock's block on Darragh Murray denied Scotstown a goal and, with the Farney men pressing, break away scores from McFaul and Mc Dermott underlined the character of a Glen team who know these hard yards only too well.

There was still time for Jack McCarron to see his fierce late shot tipped over by Connlann Bradley but Glen would not be denied. The Watty's remain the benchmark in Ulster!

Glen scorers: Danny Tallon (0-3, 2f), Eunan Mulholland (0-3), Ryan Dougan (0-1), Ethan Doherty (0-1), Conor Glass (0-2, 1f), Tiarnan Flanagan (0-1), Ciaran McFaul (0-1), Jody McDermott (0-1).

Scotstown scorers: Shane Carey (0-3, 3f), James Hamill (0-2), Conor McCarthy (0-1), Darren Hughes (0-1), Kieran Hughes (0-1), Jack McCarron (0-2), Rory Beggan (0-1).

Glen: Connlann Bradley, Michael Warnock, Ryan Dougan, Connor Carville, Eunna Mulholland, Ciaran McFaul, Cathal Mulholland, Conor Glass, Emmett Bradley, Ethan Doherty, Jack Doherty, Jody McDermott, Tiarnan Flanagan, Danny Tallon, Conleth McGuckian. (Subs) Alex Doherty for C Glass (temp), 10-13mins; Alex Doherty for Jack Doherty, 54mins; Stevie O'Hara for J McDermott, 62mins;

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, Kiera Hughes, Jack McCarron. (Subs) Darragh Murray for M Maguire, 42mins; Mark McPhillips for J Hamill, 52mins; Ryan Malley for B Boylan, 57mins; Francis Maguire for S Carey, 62mins;

Referee: Paul Faloon (Down)