Rory Beggan breaks Kilcoo hearts with incredible late free

Niall McIntyre

Scotstown snatched victory from the jaws of defeat to beat Kilcoo in the Ulster club football championship.

Leading by three with three minutes of normal time to play, Kilcoo looked destined for victory but Jack McCarron, Kieran Hughes and Rory Beggan had other ideas.

Firstly, with three minutes left to play, McCarron kicked a booming mark to leave two points between the sides. McCarron then won a free a couple of minutes later which Beggan dispatched with aplomb, from all of fifty metres, to reduce the gap to one.

Beggan then showed tremendous bravery to get a fist to the resulting kick-out before setting Shane Carey up for a game-levelling mark. Kilcoo did respond, showing great composure before Ryan Johnston won what looked like a match-winning free.

But Scotstown didn’t give in. Kieran Hughes slotted a wondrous mark in the 64th minute to level the game up once more and then, with the five minutes of added time played, he won a free which Beggan scored from 50 metres once more.

1-8 to 0-12 was the final score. They now advance to play Trillick in the Ulster semi-final.

"IT'S MAGICAL" 🪄

Nerves of steel from Rory Beggan to win it for Scotstown with the last kick of the game and knock Kilcoo out of the Ulster Club SFC ❌😮#BBCGAA pic.twitter.com/TcJQrEjwZX

— BBC SPORT NI (@BBCSPORTNI) November 12, 2023

Meanwhile, Kilcormac Killoughey, Na Fianna, Naas and O’Loughlin Gaels were all victorious in their Leinster hurling quarter finals while Castlehaven, Clonmel Commercials, Naomh Conaill and St Brigid’s won in Munster, Ulster and Connacht respectively.

Donegal champs Naomh Conaill won it right at the death thanks to a last-gasp Kevin McGettigan goal, which broke Gowna hearts.

An incredible finish to the game in Kingspan Breffni!

Kevin McGettigan wins it for @NaomhConaillGAA at the death!#UlsterClub2023 #ClubMeansMore https://t.co/7VvjLX7WDB pic.twitter.com/KyQHxJZw2L

— Ulster GAA (@UlsterGAA) November 12, 2023