AIB Ulster Club SHC Final: Slaughtneil retain title
Peter McCullagh, Slaughtneil, and Ryan McNulty, St John's, in AIB Ulster Club SHC Final action. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
AIB Ulster Club SHC Final
Slaughtneil 0-23 St John's 0-10
By Maghnus Dunne at BOX-IT Athletic Grounds
Derry Champions, Slaughtneil, breezed to back-to-back Ulster titles after 13-points victory over Antrim Champions St John’s at BOX-IT Athletic Grounds in Armagh on Saturday evening.
Oisin MacManus got the game underway when the Johnnies forward was able to strike a distanced effort between the posts after the Sleachneil midfielders impeded Sean Wilson from the initial throw-in.
Shea Cassidy did eventually level proceedings for the Derry men, but it took almost eight minutes before they struck their reply and restored parity.
The Antrim champions would rue two chances to retake the advantage early on. Conall Bohill and McManus both saw the wide signalled before Sé McGuigan and Cormac O’Doherty would lead by example as the holders took a narrow lead before the 10th minute mark.
The impressive Slaughtneil backline set the tone early on as the Belfast men saw most of their early attacks turned over with Meehaul McGrath and Shane McGuigan showing their vast experience at this level.
Cassidy struck his second point of the half, but Oisin McManus met his counterpart by striking a second free and halving the deficit for the Johnnies.
McManus cut the deficit once more and showed his cool nature by pointing twice in quick succession as the Slaughtneil lead only stood at three despite St John’s struggling to cope with retaining the ball as the Derry men hassled tenaciously.
Cormac O’Doherty and McManus would both score a point apiece a single minute after the restart.
Shane McGuigan struck one of the scores of the game after the 18-year-old thundered a fantastic effort high and over Domhnall Nugent’s crossbar, but Sean Wilson finally lifted the weight off of McManus’ shoulders when he cut inside off the left and cracked his effort for St John’s seventh score of the match.
Brendan Rodgers gave his side a five-point advantage early in the second period.
O’Doherty’s third point gave the Derry men a nice advantage. However, just like clockwork, McManus once again tallied for the Johnnies with his sixth free of the evening.
O’Doherty’s 70-yard free just put clear daylight between the sides at the 48th minute of play and his follow up deadball strike saw an eight-point gap, which looked a mountain to climb for St John’s.
Chrissy McKeague’s over the shoulder strike ensured roars from the Derry fans in the Athletic grounds as they knew they were finally getting into a groove.
O’Doherty’s 10th strike of the evening put clear daylight between the sides and then substitute Prionsas Burke scored the point of the evening.
Slaughtneil will now face Galway champions, Loughrea in the All-Ireland semi-finals.
Scorers for Slaughtneil: Cormac O’Doherty 0-10 (8fs), Sheá Cassidy 0-5 (2fs), Brendan Rogers 0-2, Sé McGuigan 0-2, Chrissy McKaigue 0-1, Prionsas Burke 0-1, Eamon Cassidy 0-1
Scorers for St John’s: Oisin MacManus 0-9 (7fs), Sean Wilson 0-1.
Slaughtneil: Oisin O’Doherty; Fionn McEldowney, Paul McNeil, Conor McAllister; Ruairí Ó Mianáin, Meehaul McGrath, Shane McGuigan; Cathal Ó Mianáin, Chrissy McKaigue; Mark McGuigan, Sé McGuigan, Eamon Cassidy; Brendan Rogers, Cormac O’Doherty, Shéa Cassidy.
Subs: Conor Coyle for Meehaul McGrath, Gerald Bradley for Sé McGuigan, Prionsas Burke for Chrissy McKaigue, Peter McCullagh for Eamon Cassidy.
St John’s: Domhnall Nugent; Ryan McNulty, Conor Johnston, Jack Bohill; Conal Morgan, Peter McCallin, Enda McGurk; Sean Wilson, Aaron Bradley; Michial Dudley, Conor Johnston, Conall Bohill; Donal Carson, Shea Shannon, Oisin Mac Manus.
Subs: Caoimhin Hanna for Peter McCallin.
Referee: Peter Owens (Down).
