Scotstown's 25th Monaghan senior title, won against Truagh Gaels in Clones on Sunday, was their widest county-final winning margin since they beat Clontibret in 2013, and it confirmed a run of 11 Mick Duffy Cups from 14 straight finals.

That 2013 win ended a 20-year wait for a county title. Scotstown have been in every Monaghan senior decider since, the Irish News points out in an analysis published on Wednesday. Last year they also won the Ulster club title, their fifth and their first in 36 years.

The final in numbers

Scotstown won 1-22 to 0-10, according to Monaghan GAA's official report. Ryan O'Toole fired home the opening goal on 22 minutes from a Tommy Mallen pass, and the champions led 1-9 to 0-7 at half-time. Truagh were only four behind on 40 minutes, but they did not score in the last 28 minutes, including added time, as Scotstown finished with an unanswered 0-11. Captain Rory Beggan kicked 0-8, including four two-point frees, and the side landed eight two-pointers in all.

Youth coming through

The clearest sign the run may not be ending soon is the age profile. Man of the match Max Maguire kicked two two-pointers and a fisted point. He, Donnchadh Connolly, Mark McCaffrey and Tommy Mallen were all on Monaghan's U20 panel in 2026, and all four started the final, according to the Irish News.

Maguire was manager Gabriel Bannigan's second substitute when he made his Croke Park debut in Monaghan's All-Ireland quarter-final against Louth. Mallen set up Scotstown's only goal for the second match running. McCaffrey, one of the standout defenders in this year's championship, credited strength and conditioning work with Barry McKenna: "Getting faster, and getting bigger and stronger."

The last time Scotstown lost before a county final, McCaffrey was five years old.

Still hungry

The Irish News also pointed to the champions' appetite late in a game already won. Kieran Hughes lined up his fellow former county player Paudie McKenna and beat him for pace, and Mallen chased back to dispossess Truagh forward Oran McElligott.

Darren Hughes, who retired from county duty aged 38 in August 2025 and is now a Monaghan coach, played on with a black eye and a bandage after a high challenge. Goalscorer O'Toole called the elder Hughes "my hero... probably the person I look up to most in the world."

Manager David McCague said the semi-final against Inniskeen had been the test his side needed: "We passed the test. Maybe not in the style and the colour that we wanted, but we did." McCaffrey singled out Shane Carey's leadership: "If you ever needed anyone to talk to, Shane Carey would be the man."

Next up: Ulster

The Ulster holders now turn to the provincial championship, with a game against the Derry champions in Clones on 8 November. See our guide to every Monaghan champion's Ulster date, and our report from the county final.