Magherafelt book ultimate Ulster test against champions Scotstown
After dismantling Newbridge to end their final heartbreak, O’Donovan Rossa shift focus to an elite Ulster campaign.
O’Donovan Rossa Magherafelt will have little time to rest on their laurels after a glorious week celebrating their eighth John McLaughlin Cup triumph, with a daunting trip to the home of reigning Ulster champions Scotstown now awaiting Enda Muldoon’s charges.
The newly crowned Derry champions will embark on their provincial campaign at St Tiernach’s Park, Clones, on Sunday afternoon, where they will face a Scotstown side that has established itself as one of the dominant forces in Ulster football.
The Monaghan kingpins claimed their fifth Ulster title last winter and will arrive in Clones as one of the favourites once again, having secured their twenty-fourth county championship and fourth in succession with a 1-22 to 0-10 victory over Truagh in mid-October.
Magherafelt, meanwhile, overcame three-in-a-row chasing Newbridge with a powerful display under the lights at Find Insurance Celtic Park to ensure there would be no repeat of the 2025 decider. Instead, they exacted sweet revenge on their near neighbours with a convincing 3-17 to 0-20 victory.
Conall Higgins was in inspired form on the day, further strengthening his Derry inter-county credentials with a superb haul of 0-9, while veteran Shane Heavron and Derry panellist Eoin McEvoy contributed 0-3 apiece. O’Donovan Rossa will now embark on just their second Ulster campaign in 48 years and their first since 2019. They could hardly have been handed a tougher opponent against whom to measure themselves.
Speaking ahead of the meeting with the Farney men, McEvoy was under no illusions about the scale of the challenge facing the newly crowned Derry champions.
“I think everyone knows what Scotstown bring. They’ve been about for such a long time, and most years you watch this competition, they’re usually in the latter stages of it, and, obviously, they’re the current champions.”
“They have a lot of two-point shooters, are very good in attack and defence, and they have one of the best keepers in the country in Rory Beggan. So we know as a group the challenge that’s ahead of us. We’re really looking forward to it, and we know the levels they are at. We know we’re going to need a massive performance against them.”
“We had a good couple of days celebrating, and I think everyone is just itching to get back at it. We made plenty of mistakes in the final, so thankfully we have things to work on. Getting the boys back down to earth was easy enough because we’re just a group that wants to get better and improve day on day.”
“We’re going into the Ulster champions’ home patch now. It will be our toughest test to date, and we’re just excited and privileged that we get to represent Derry this year. As a group, we just want to give the best account of ourselves next Sunday.”
Winning their eighth McLaughlin Cup, and their first since 2019, has been a huge lift for the club, particularly after losing three county finals since their previous triumph. There is now a sense that the shackles have finally come off for a supremely talented Magherafelt side that has been threatening to reach the summit for several seasons.
While Scotstown will arrive with a formidable record and Magherafelt may be viewed by some as having already enjoyed a successful campaign, such an outlook is far removed from the mentality within Muldoon’s camp. The Derry champions are determined to take their opportunity and test themselves against the reigning provincial kings.
“It’s only our second title in 48 years, and you could see in the moments after the game how much it meant to everyone in the club. It’s absolutely massive for the club. You always try to go out and enjoy the occasion and enjoy the build-up to it, but I would think there’s still pressure on this group to perform. It’s not that we’ve hit our ceiling or that we’re in bonus territory.”
“Pressure is a privilege, and I think a lot of our boys are thriving under that pressure. We put a lot of emphasis on trying to win the Derry championship, and, at the back of your mind, you know that if you win it, you’ll be playing in this competition. We’re here now, and we just want to carry the momentum and bring the best version of us to Clones.”