Newly appointed Cavan manager Mattie McGleenan was powerless to prevent his Scotstown team from slipping to a 0-9 to 1-8 defeat at the hands of Kilcoo in today's Ulster Club SFC clash in Clones.

Substitute Ryan Johnston's second-half goal proved to be the difference as Paul McIver's charges came away with a hard-earned two point success.

Despite playing into the wind in the first-half, the Down champions edged a low scoring opening period by 0-5 to 0-4.

Johnston pounced for the game's only goal six minutes after the resumption to open up a three point gap - 1-6 to 0-6 - for the winners.

The half-time substitute found the back of the Scotstown net for a second time five minutes later but that effort was ruled out for a 'square ball' infringement.

In the end it proved immaterial as the Conor Laverty captained outfit held on to claim the spoils.

The Monaghan men finished the contest with 13 men after Frank Caulfield (second yellow) and Brian McGinnity (red) were both issued with their marching orders in stoppage time.

Kilcoo - N Kane; N McEvoy, D O'Hanlon, N Branagan; D Branagan, Aidan Branagan, Aaron Branagan (0-1); J McClean, JJ McLoughlin; C Doherty, A Morgan (0-1), D Kane (0-1f); M Devlin (0-2), P Devlin (0-3, 2f), C Laverty. Subs: R Johnston (1-0) for Aidan Branagan, D McEvoy for D Kane, F McGreevy for J McClean, C Laverty for C Doherty, G McEvoy for M Devlin.

Scotstown - R Beggan (0-1f); P Sherlock, M Duffy, D McArdle; F McPhillips, K Hughes, E Caulfield; F Caulfield, J Turley; R McKenna, D Morgan (0-1), S Mohan; O Heaphey, D Hughes (0-1), S Carey (0-6, 4f). Subs: P Keenan for F McPhillips, B McGinnity for O Heaphey, B Boylan for S Mohan.

Referee - S Hurson.

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