Karl Lacey explains Paul Devlin’s late withdrawal from Kilcoo team as Down champions surge past Scotstown

Kilcoo delivered a remarkable show of strength in Saturday night’s Ulster Club SFC semi-final win over Scotstown.

That they hit 5-10 against last season’s provincial finalists is one thing. To do it without one of their leading forwards is another.

Paul Devlin scored 0-7 in their narrow quarter-final victory over Crosserlough a fortnight ago, but he failed a late fitness test and was replaced by Chris Rooney.

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The late call-up plundered 1-1 from play while his brother Miceal hit two goals as the Magpies avenged last season’s Ulster Club defeat to the Monaghan men.

Speaking after the game, Kilcoo boss Karl Lacey said he wasn’t prepared to take a chance with Devlin.

“Paul (Devlin) has a wee niggle so we just felt it wasn’t the right time to chance it,” said Lacey.

“Obviously, we wanted to give him every opportunity in the warm-up, but he just didn’t feel right and, on nights like tonight, you need to be 100 per cent and he wasn’t confident. We just felt it was best to leave him out.”

Lacey also praised the strength-in-depth of the Kilcoo squad with Jack Devlin also coming into the squad to do a man-marking job on Kieran Hughes.

“It goes back to training and it goes back to that environment we are creating,” added Lacey.

“Every night, the competition in the squad and the standard in the squad - everybody is fighting for a place. It is back to reset there now. Anybody can put their hand up.

"Macdarragh Hynes played the last day and didn’t get starting today. Jack Devlin didn’t play the last day and gets in to start - it goes back to the training and the boys know that.

“To lose someone of Paul Devlin’s calibre, after his performance (against Crosserlough), was disappointing, but we know that there’s personal there who can step in and do the same role.”

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