Through the eyes of history: Rory Beggan follows in his father’s footsteps

By Michael McMullan

WHEN Scotstown were last Kings of Ulster, Brendan Beggan formed part of a monstrous midfield axis Coalisland were unable to break.

That was 36 years ago. Fast-forward to last Saturday, at the same venue, his son Rory was the star man as the Monaghan giants ended the club’s famine.

His 11-point return was one part, taking him to second in the top scorer list behind Kilcoo’s Paul Devlin.

Beggan reached above the crossbar to pluck a ball from dropping over in a game of inches. There was also a moment when his frame and awareness of angles fused to close the door on a Jerome Johnston goal chance.

“Dad, he’s been a role model for me,” Rory said. “He took me to training and he supports me all the time.

“I’m just delighted to bring something else back for him. He always had this competition over me so it’s nice to win. He’s got three I think, I’ve only got one but still, I have more club championships.”

It’s not the only link. Mícheál McCarville’s father Gerry was part of the previous Scotstown winning team. Jack McCarron’s father Ray walked the Ulster glory trail. There is a link with selector Emmet Caulfield through his father Fergus and uncle Michael.

Since making their breakthrough in Monaghan in 2013, the current Scotstown team have been one of the most consistent groups across Ulster without getting over that winning line.

Beggan had a chance to win the title with a late free at 0-12 each in the 2015 final Crossmaglen eventually won after extra time.

Two years ago, they matched Glen step for step until the Watties pulled away. There was an extra-time defeat to Gaoth Dobhair, the one Beggan feels hit hardest.

“Gaoth Dobhair had no history really in the competition before that and haven’t been there since,” he said in the aftermath of Saturday’s win over Kilcoo.

“We lost to Crossmaglen who had a great history here and then Glen who went on to do what they did.”

Beggan referenced indiscipline and missed chances in a game they lost by a single point. It was another day filed away as lessons for another day.

They had their lessons this year too. A draw in the first game in Monaghan against Clontibret and a defeat to Corduff that left them missing out on an automatic semi-finals spot.

In the Monghan final they needed extra-time to fend off Inniskeen.

It was the same against Newbridge and Kilcoo in Ulster.

Another factor was youth and a group of players he coached to the 2021 u-15 county title. Beggan chose one word to sum up the young guns’ impact on going all way in Ulster this year. Massive.

“I don’t think the boys know how worthwhile that was and what they’ve done for this group,” he said.

“I would have been a part of coaching teams with them boys growing up and you didn’t really have to coach them.

“They were so intelligent, so good that they won titles themselves and we were just facilitating the movement for them.

“For them boys to come in and done what they did this year, I’m jealous now. It’s the first year they’ve won the Ulster Club and we went through all that heartache. I didn’t think 10 years ago it would be 10 years until I’d win one.”

With the monkey off their backs, Scotstown can look into an All-Ireland semi-final with 2013 champions St Brigid’s who lost to Glen in the decider two years ago.

Rather than walking down the dressing tunnel, processing that feeling of hurt, Beggan is fielding questions from reporters and posing for photos with family and friends.

The parishes of victory and defeat, often separated by the kick of a ball, are worlds apart. So, what made the difference this year?

“I think adapting to the rules,” Beggan offers. “We have a lot of intelligent footballers there, Darren, Kieran (Hughes brothers), Shane (Carey), Jack (McCarron), everybody.

“We said what’s the best way we can use this and probably defensively, I think was the big turning point for us.

“We shipped 5-10 here last year. When you look back, 15 scores to 14, so we weren’t that far away.

“It was just the goals and it was about shaping up defensively and I think that’s the big learning for us.”