PACE was the difference as Kilcoo blew Scotstown away on Saturday night but the Magpies need to be better to reclaim the Ulster crown, says manager Karl Lacey.
The Donegal native was understandably delighted as the Down champions underlined their big-game knowhow, composure and class by hitting two goals at the end of the first half and two more in the early stages of the second to romp into the provincial decider after a two-season absence.
Ulster champions in 2019 and 2021, Kilcoo were given space to run into and they exploited it ruthlessly against a Scotstown team that rode their luck for a while but trailed by seven points at half-time.
“Scotstown were brave on us and man-to-man and open and we found the gaps at the right time and got the right men in the right positions and we took the opportunities,” said Lacey.
Cookstown joint-manager Jason Quinn doesn’t underestimate the challenge of Four Masters in the Ulster semi-final
“It was tough on my mum and dad. I knew I was self-destructing. And I also knew the next phase of that, if I had carried on, it was not being here. I was in a very dark place...” - the life and times of Caolan Mooney
Even before the goal rush began, the Magpies had missed one sitter and a couple of half-chances. It was five-all and half-time was approaching when they took control. Anthony Morgan’s shot was saved by Rory Beggan but then deflected into the net by Shane Carey and Christopher Rooney quickly added another ‘major’ as the game changed in a flash.
“It was looking it was going to be ‘one of them’ nights again,” said Lacey in reference to the chances Kilcoo had missed before their first goal.
“But the boys responded well and we’re delighted we’re back in the final. It’s no secret that Kilcoo have plenty of pace in the team – some days you get to use that, other days you don’t and tonight we got to play the football Kilcoo like to play when they’re at their best.
“We’re delighted we got a bit of a performance, we know there’s still more in us and we look forward to the final in two weeks.”
The 11-point win on an Athletic Grounds pitch - that once again stood up to a battering from the elements thanks in no small part to the efforts of groundsman Ronan Harte - avenged losing to the Monaghan champions last year
“The motivation wasn’t that we lost, it was the performance and how we let the game slip,” Lacey explained.
“We didn’t do ourselves justice last year and we didn’t reach the potential we could and yet we got ourselves into a four-point lead in the second half and then let it slip which is unlike Kilcoo.
“This year our focus has been on ourselves and getting those things right.
“We’ve been working hard on them, it’s not always perfect but there’s a real honesty of effort there within the group and everybody’s together – we’re all going the one direction which is the key.”
2022 All-Ireland winner Paul Devlin had scored seven points in the quarter-final against Crosserlough but he was ruled out of the semi-final after failing a late fitness test.
“It was because of a wee niggle that he has,” said Lacey.
“We felt it wasn’t the right time to chance it. We wanted to give him every opportunity in terms of the warm-up but games like tonight you need to be 100 per cent.”
