Magheracloone's stated objective for 2007 was to regain the Monaghan senior football championship. The champions of '04 had first seen Latton and then Clontibret steal their thunder and they went into the new year determined to claim the Mick Duffy Cup for the second time in their history. Unfortunately, things didn't go quite according to plan. Magheracloone Mitchells' 2004 Monaghan SFC success was the stuff of fairytale. The victory completed the two-phase transformation from ho-hopers to genuine contenders to achievers. Magheracloone had finished top of the Monaghan pile with a fairly young side and hopes were high that - monkey off their backs - they might go on to add a few more blue riband titles in the ensuing years. Three years on, Magheracloone are still without a second championship. In 2005 and '06, they were so close they could almost touch it. After those near misses, the players regrouped for the '07 campaign determined to set the record straight. However, there's no such thing as a straightforward championship and a combination of factors meant that somehow the Mitchells were even further off the pace that usual this time. They weren't in the shake-up. Truth to tell, they didn't get going and weren't close as Clontibret completed a memorable back-to-back success. Things got even worse when the senior league semi-final against Latton at Corduff in early December descended into controversy and was abandoned midway through the second half, finishing the year on an unsavoury note amid a torrent of national controversy. This issue was only rearing its head at the time of writing and the season was still very much up in the air. Whatever happens, there's no denying that Magheracloone have contributed a great deal to the welfare of Monaghan football over the past decade or so. And that has to count for a lot. The club's contribution to Monaghan's amazing championship run in the year gone by cannot be underestimated. Damien Freeman captained the team, while brother Tommy earned an All Star. Shane Duffy was steady between the sticks. It was an incredible voyage, derailed unluckily by narrow defeats to Tyrone and (especially) Kerry, but Magheracloone contributed enormously and the club can be justifiably proud of the role it has played in moving Monaghan football forward. The 2006 beaten county finalists exited the 2007 SFC race following a 0-10 to 0-9 back-door defeat to Scotstown in a poor encounter on Sunday September 6. Typifying the frustrating nature of their year, Magheracloone were without county men Tommy Freeman (suspended) and Shane Duffy (injured) for this crucial clash, while their chances were further hampered by the dismissal of Michael Jones early in the second half. It was a repeat of the '04 county final, which Magheracloone had won convincing, but this time so many variables conspired against them so as to make their task nigh on impossible. Scotstown got on top after the sending-off and they were three points to the good with seven minutes remaining. The south county side never gave up and they succeeded in closing the gap to the minimum but the graft and determination of the likes of James Ward, Damien Freeman, Gavin Doogan and Paudie Finnegan counted for nothing when the long whistle sounded. It wasn't a classic match by any stretch of the imagination and it was a decidedly disappointing note to bow out on. Magheracloone, 2007 Monaghan SFC V Scotstown: Padraig Doogan; Michael Jones, Paul Farnan, Paul Lambe; Peter Tuite (0-3), James Ward, Pete Ward; Francis Doogan, John McMahon; Ciaran McCaul, Damien Freeman (0-1), Paul Jones; Keith Gilsenan (0-1), Gavin Doogan (0-1), Paudie Finnegan (0-3). Magheracloone opened their SFC account by grounding out a 0-10 to 0-4 victory over Ballybay at Clontibret on Saturday 26th May. They would go on to play a total of four matches in the 2007 knockout and, surprisingly, this would be their only win. The first half was fairly uninspired and the winners led by 0-5 to 0-4 at the interval. They went on to double their tally in the second period, while Ballybay failed to raise another flag. Tommy Freeman got Magheracloone's first point but they trailed by 0-3 to 0-1 after seven minutes. The Freeman brothers had the sides level six minutes later and further points from Gavin Doogan and Keith Gilsenan had the Mitchells noses in front at the turnaround. It would have been worse for Ballybay had not Tommy Freeman's injury-time drive bounced back into play off a post. There were no scores in the third quarter because of the monsoon conditions, which became even more treacherous due to fading light. But Magheracloone coped best and sealed their progression with points from Gilsenan, Tommy Freeman (2), corner back Michael Jones and Doogan. Magheracloone, 2007 Monaghan SFC V Ballybay: Shane Duffy; Michael Jones (0-1), Paul Lambe, Paul Farnan; Peter Ward, James Ward, Peter Tuite; Francis Doogan, Ciaran McCaul; Keith Gilsenan (0-2), Paul Jones, Thomas Freeman (0-4); Fintan Kindlon, Gavin Doogan (0-2), Damien Freeman (0-1). Subs: Paudie Finnegan, Gerard McCaul. The draw was unkind and a second-round pairing of 2004 champions Magheracloone V 2005 kingpins Latton was hardly ideal for either side. This absorbing contest between these familiar foes went to a replay and extra time before Latton stole the verdict on a 0-11 to 0-10 scoreline at Castleblayney on Saturday September 1. The game was niggly and bad-tempered and this would again manifest itself in the league semi-final later in the year. Magheracloone were unfortunate to lose the leadership of Damien Freeman to injury after seven minutes, while they also had Tommy Freeman sent off in the closing stages of normal time - a censure that severely hampered their chances and would also have repercussions when they faced Scotstown through the back door. Leading by a point eight minutes into stoppage time, Magheracloone could have been forgiven for thinking they were almost home and dry but Latton mustered a dramatic Finbarr Fitzpatrick equaliser and then nicked it with a late, late rally in the second period of added time. Magheracloone, 2007 Monaghan SFC second-round replay V Latton: Shane Duffy; Michael Jones, Paul Farnan, Paul Lambe; Peter Tuite (0-1), James Ward (0-1), Peter Ward; Francie Doogan, John McMahon; Fintan Kindlon, Damien Freeman, Paul Jones; Noel Tuite, Gavin Doogan, Tomas Freeman (0-3). Subs: Paudie Finnegan (0-5), David Freeman, Padraig Doogan. A week earlier, goalkeeper Shane Duffy's converted 45 in the first minute of stoppage time gave Magheracloone a 0-11 to 1-8 draw with their arch nemeses at St Mary's Park. Duffy had also converted another 45 earlier in the half. Not for the first or last time in 2007, the Mitchells fielded without Tommy Freeman but they had the better of the first half and three points from 40-yards-man Damien Freeman helped them to a seemingly-comfortable 0-7 to 0-2 half-time lead. But Latton landed 1-4 in the third quarter and twice led by two points in the closing ten minutes. It was the proverbial game of two halves and in the end Magheracloone needed late scores from Gavin Doogan and Duffy to earn another chance. Magheracloone, 2007 Monaghan SFC drawn game V Latton: Shane Duffy (0-2); Michael Jones, Paul Farnan, Paul Lambe; Peter Tuite, James Ward, Peter Ward; Francie Doogan, John McMahon; Noel Tuite (0-2), Damien Freeman (0-3), Paul Jones; Keith Gilsenan, Gavin Doogan (0-2), Fintan Kindlon (0-2). Subs: David Freeman, Colm Duffy Tweet

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