McGURK ARCHITECTS SHC FINAL - Slaughtneil v Banagher
Sunday 3.45 - Owenbeg
IT wasn’t always like this but for the last three years the Fr Collins Cup left Owenbeg on the Emmet Park bandwagon. Twice Gareth O’Kane collected the cup and last season it was Chrissy McKaigue. Slaughtneil are on the crest of a wave - after decades in the doldrums, grabbing the odd title here and there.
On Sunday Steafan McCloskey and former St Patrick’s Maghera classmate Chrissy McKaigue will lead their teams from the Owenbeg tunnel. The Robbies are all too familiar with the protocol and the surroundings in the shadow of Benbradagh - it’s a home from home.
Banagher are starting to enjoy it. Speaking after the first round win over Ballinascreen, skipper McCloskey spoke of pre-season training and the satisfaction of playing in the summer. “It’s what you prepare all year for,” McCloskey insisted. The volume of games doesn’t matter.
Decades of underage development have brought Slaughtneil from the shadows of Lavey and Kevin Lynchs to the top of the tree in Derry. Last season in the Athletic Grounds they came up short in another battle with Ulster rivals Cushendall.
Three times champions Banagher are the breath of fresh air to the hurling championship this year, a league defeat to Sunday’s opponents Slaughtneil is the only blot on their copybook.
Brian McGilligan was satisfied with the form but championship is where it counts. Before last season’s clash with Lavey the Banagher boss questioned his team’s body language. The atmosphere in the dressing room wasn’t at the required pitch.
Banagher were not mentally prepared and McGilligan told them as much. He doesn’t paper over the cracks, he calls a spade a spade. The former Derry dual player takes no credit for this season’s championship run. It’s the players, they need to ‘stand tall’ as he puts it.
The Roes, Sean McCullagh, talisman Shane Farren and his own son Brian Óg have formed the spine of the side but in the previous two games Mark Lynch has answered the call.
A goal in the first game stopped Ballinascreen’s comeback before it really got off the ground. In the semi-final when Corey O’Reilly cut the margin to four points, Lynch put his hand up (quite literally) again – catching a vital puckout, leading to a score after a Banagher lull.
Sunday brings a whole different set of challenges but red hot favourites Slaughtneil are untested so far this year. Their early blitz sunk Lavey in round one. Swatragh kept in touch with Mickey McShane’s side until after half time when a total dominance on the puck outs saw them take over and inevitably pull through.
With Banagher’s football game called off last week, it gave them an extra week of hurling and with a clean bill of health it is the perfect scenario.
Slaughtneil will have to wait for the availability of defender Sean Cassidy. Both Mickeys (Moran and McShane) have spent the last two years praying for a clean bill of health.
This was an unexpected injury with Cassidy feeling the full brunt of an accidental collision with his own Cormac McKenna. He could have picked lesser men than ‘Cutler’ to have a run in with and spent a spell in hospital as a precaution.
If Cassidy doesn’t recover in time, Slaughtneil have a plethora of options to select from. Brian Óg Corbett has played in defence, so too have Peadar Kearney and Jarlath Mulholland who featured last season.
When the sides met in the 2000 final Michael Kearney played wing back, the sole survivor still playing and the ageless ‘Maxol’ could be an option after sterling performances last season.
Minor player Brian Cassidy was a regular last season and featured in a cameo role against Swatragh recently. His eye for goal could see him considered in attack with Chrissy McKaigue deployed elsewhere.
Last season McShane wasn’t afraid of giving youth a chance, handing Shane McGuigan a debut in the Ulster Final with Cushendall. Conor McAllister and Ruairi McCartney have slotted seamlessly into the side.
Oisin O’Doherty, like Darrell McDermott at the other end is an excellent ‘keeper and both will have an important part to play. O’Doherty’s outfield experience gives him the ability to pass the ball with variation. When Kevin Lynchs went down to 14 men, McDermott did likewise.
In recent games Chrissy McKaigue’s defensive instinct saw him tucked back alongside Shane McGuigan so the Slaughtneil attack will need to put the pressure on McDermott and force him to puck long.
If Banagher drop deeper to clog up the space in front of Rogers and Cormac O’Doherty it could open the door for Slaughtneil to initiate a short ball game to bypass Lynch and McGilligan.
Sean McCullagh’s role in the semi-final was important as ‘Squidgy’ sat back in the pocket but that was only when Liam Óg Hinphey was dismissed. McShane will need to push right up on Banagher.
In attack Sé McGuigan, Brendan Rogers and Cormac O’Doherty are all potential match winners. So far Niall Farren has marked Sean McBride and Niall Ferris respectively. With O’Doherty picking up a range of positions Farren will likely follow him.
This will leave the experienced Ruairí McCloskey to pick up Brendan Rogers, with Gabriel Farren and either Ciaran Lynch or Darragh McCloskey to keep tabs on Mark and Sé McGuigan.
Oisin McCloskey scored a goal against Kevin Lynchs but his mobility and relentless running could have saw him score three or four more. Mickey McShane will have to decide which of Karl McKaigue or Paul McNeill is given the marking duties, with Shane Farren also needing looking after as well.
At midfield Banagher have been strong in both games so far, an area that Slaughtneil selector Joe McCloskey expressed a concern about after their last game. Losing their own puck outs before Meehaul McGrath stepped up his performance to dominate the second half.
Conor McAllister’s toughness, hunger for hard work and ability to score should make him the mainstay of the Slaughtneil team for the next decade but Sunday is a big test early in his career.
Do Slaughtneil stick to the plan or put Chrissy McKaigue in on his county colleague Lynch? In his role with Derry, McKaigue often found himself marking one of the key players on the opposition. It would rob Slaughtneil of his hurling ability and his long range scoring – unless he can multitask.
After last year’s final and the ruthless display of scoring, Slaughtneil were tipped to dominate Derry hurling for the next decade. Few would disagree. It was a young side, with Francie Burke’s all conquering crop of minors ready to step into the shakeup.
Brian McGilligan was also a big fan stressing that Slaughtneil threw away the Ulster title last year. On Sunday he has the job of plotting their downfall. After qualifying for the final, McGilligan adopted a ‘the pick of the rest of Derry wouldn’t beat Slaughtneil’ stance.
He knows his hurling and is well placed to make the judgement. A straight talker he certainly is but he is also a competitor and won’t be going to Owenbeg to make up the numbers.
Is it mind games? It probably is but the numbers game strikes a chord with McGilligan and the difference in the strength in depth. Slaughtneil have a senior panel of 42, with Banagher picking from a pool of 25.
On Sunday Mickey McShane will be only be able to play 15 of them and Banagher’s first 15 are a match for anyone. It will be Slaughtneil’s first real test since that defeat by Cushendall.
As a rule the Slaughtneil mentality doesn’t do complacency. Years in the doldrums is a reminder of where they came from. It is all about striking when the iron is hot and on Sunday Chrissy McKaigue should follow in Gareth O’Kane’s footsteps and raise the Fr Collins for a second time.
VERDICT: SLAUGHTNEIL
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