JOE BROLLY: Scotstown and Vitas

SINCE Rory Beggan, Conor McCarthy and others won their first Monaghan senior title in 2013, they have gone on to win it nine more times. Ten Monaghan titles in 13 years, before going on to lose all nine previous times in Ulster. Writing it down emphasises how extraordinary their losing streak is: 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2023, 2024. The streak included a four in-a-row and a three in-a-row in Monaghan.

I was at the Athletic Grounds for their first Ulster final in 2015, against Crossmaglen. This was the moment. They had lost their Ulster Championship virginity in 2013 and were ready to rock. Their sights were set on emulating the great Scotstown teams of the past. They were the better team. They played the better football. With injury time up and the sides level, Scotstown were awarded a free. It was well within Rory Beggan’s range. He had kicked a longer one earlier. The Crossmaglen folk were resigned to their fate. Score and they were champions.

He stepped up, took his time, went through his routine and fluffed it, dropping it short into a Crossmaglen man’s hands. It was all or nothing and it turned out to be nothing. In American pro football, the kicker would be sacked. These are the moments after all that separate the winners from the losers. In extra-time, Crossmaglen played like men granted early parole. As Heaney put it, “in time that was extra unforeseen and free.” As Cross, imbued with the spirit of reprieve, happily mauled them, I felt sorry for the Scotstown boys and walked away from the Athletic Grounds thinking they would never win it.

Three years later, they were back, this time against Gaoth Dobhair, who had surprised everyone by winning Donegal, then getting to the final. Scotstown were favourites. In an uncanny repeat of the 2015 final, the game went to extra-time. When it came right down to it and the sides were level, it was Gaoth Dobhair who kept the clear head, kicking the winning point then defending ferociously and carefully to the final whistle. It was their one and only Ulster title, coming after that team’s one and only Donegal title. They have not gotten out of the county since.

For those who think this was “only a one point defeat” I remind you that Mayo lost three All-Ireland finals by a point, including one replay, and two All-Ireland semi-final replays. In the 2014 drawn semi-final, Mayo were four points ahead with one minute to go. Kerry manufactured a hit-and-hope goal, before kicking a point right on the final whistle to draw it. The replay looked to be going Mayo’s way before they blew it again, Kerry forced extra-time and you know the rest. In the 2015 replay (Dublin forced the equalising point at the death in the drawn game), Mayo were four points up with 15 minutes to go. Again, they lost.

Scotstown were back in the final again two years ago, this time against Watty Graham’s. The game had the appearance of being close, but in truth Watty Graham’s never looked like losing. Like all winners, they took it personally and understood that winning big games is about character. It is about loyalty and courage and a refusal to allow the opponent to take away your self respect. They won 0-13 to 0-11.

Last weekend, Scotstown were four points up against Newbridge, who like the Watty’s or Gaoth Dobhair, are another very new team. The game was abandoned. I fancy Newbridge, as I fancy any decent team against Scotstown, who clearly have the artillery and the heritage, but not the crucial bit.

In the 1979-80 season, the US tennis player Vitas Gerulaitis played Jimmy Connors 16 times and lost all 16 matches. At the end of 1980, they met again in the semi-final of the US Masters. Connors was the unbackable favourite. The unanimous consensus was that psychologically, Gerulaitis could not beat him. Vitas went on to shock them all, playing ferociously to beat the World Number 1. Afterwards, just after he had sat down at the press conference table, before taking any questions, Gerulaitis looked the press pack in the eye, wagged his finger at them and said, “Let this be a lesson to you all. Nobody – and I mean nobody – beats Vitas Gerulaitis 17 times in a row.”

Will Scotstown allow themselves to be beaten nine times in a row? Or can they harness the spirit of Gerulaitis?