The Monaghan champions were hit for five goals in a one-sided Ulster semi-final against Kilcoo last season and begin their 2025 campaign against Donegal winners Naomh Conaill this weekend
It was the heavyweight contest that never was. Two contenders to the throne ready for battle on the provincial stage.
The problem for Scotstown is that only one team showed up and they made it painfully easy for Kilcoo to land a knockout blow to their Ulster ambitions.
It is a defeat that still haunts David McCague and left him wondering if he was the right man to bring Scotstown forward.
At county level, they claimed a 10th title in 13 seasons – a record that’s comparable only to Cargin in Antrim and Kilcoo in Down or the Slaughtneil hurlers.
Yet, they only reached three Ulster Club finals in that time, losing to Crossmaglen (2015), Gaoth Dobhair (2018) and Glen (2023) and their 5-10 to 0-14 loss to the Magpies in last season’s semi-final hurt as much as any defeat according to their manager.
“We have a lot of pain and I’ve a lot of personal pain over the performance that I managed last year at the Athletic Grounds against Kilcoo,” said McCague.
“I suppose that’s something that caused a lot of sleepless nights and a lot of heartache over the winter and a lot of soul searching in terms of whether I’d have the stomach to go back and take on the challenge of managing Scotstown again.
“I suppose if we hadn’t got the appetite for it, we wouldn’t do it. As for ‘unfinished business’ – the only business we have now is Naomh Conaill.
That’s the only business we have and that’ll take all our energy and all our time. That’s the only business we’re concerned with at the minute.”
Both the Monaghan and Donegal county finals went to extra-time with An Bhoth defeating Inniskeen 0-22 to 0-17 in Clones while Glenties defeated Gaoth Dobhair 2-18 to 1-19 in Letterkenny.
McCague hopes a typically robust series of games in Monaghan will stand to them in the Ulster series.
“We appreciate the effort that Inniskeen made and we have a healthy respect for Inniskeen and the challenge they brought, not only this year, but over the last number of years,” added McCague.
“There’s a really good, healthy rivalry developing there between the two clubs and I think that’s maybe helping us and hopefully it’s helping them as well and helping the football in Monaghan too. The fact that it was such a good test made it more enjoyable, there’s no doubt about that.
“I think Naomh Conaill are going to come with a huge appetite for this competition like ourselves and like the other teams in the competition along with the two of us..
“It’ll be a huge battle and we’re under no illusions as to the size of the task facing us in Clones.”
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