Robert Emmet’s battle-hardened for Loughrea showdown

Slaughtneil and Derry inter-county star Meehaul McGrath believes the Derry champions are well prepared for their upcoming AIB All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship semi-final clash with Galway champions Loughrea, having come through both the Derry Championship and the Ulster Club Championship unscathed.

Robert Emmet’s secured a 13th successive Fr Collins Cup in October amid an astounding era of dominance after powering past Kevin Lynch’s, before claiming back-to-back Four Seasons Cups by overcoming Down champions Portaferry and Antrim titleholders St John’s to set up a showdown with Loughrea for a place in the All-Ireland final.

They will now face the Galway champions in Parnell Park on Sunday afternoon, with the game scheduled for a 1:30pm throw-in.

“We never get it easy in the Derry Championship,” McGrath said. “We struggled with Lynch’s in the group stages, and Swatragh really put it up to us in the semi-final. In Ulster, Portaferry gave us a massive test, and getting over that gave us huge confidence going into the St John’s game.”

“Those two Ulster teams have some of the best hurlers in Ireland with some serious players, so to get past them really does stand to us going into the semi-final.”

Last year, Slaughtneil exited at the last-four stage following a narrow defeat to Cork’s Sarsfields, while Loughrea suffered an identical fate against Dublin’s Na Fianna. Both sides will be eager to use that disappointment as motivation as they chase a place in January’s All-Ireland decider at Croke Park.

Slaughtneil have yet to break their semi-final duck, having fallen narrowly in each of their five previous attempts. McGrath and his teammates are acutely aware of the scale of the challenge posed by the Galway champions but are hopeful their accumulated experience can finally push them over the line.

“It’s going to be a huge step up,” he said. “Once you get out of your province, every team is gunning for you. Loughrea are in the same position as ourselves and were beaten semi-finalists last year, and both teams will want to do one better and get to the final.

“Loughrea, like all Galway teams, are going to be technically and physically very strong. Galway teams always perform well, whether at club or county level.”

“It’s our sixth attempt at this stage, and we’ve played against teams who’ve gone on to win All-Irelands. Last year was hugely disappointing, but we have to take the hurt from previous years and use it as motivation to dig deep and hopefully get over the line against Loughrea and give ourselves a chance to play in an All-Ireland final.”

Slaughtneil have played a major role in raising the profile of Derry hurling nationwide and are regularly spoken of as one of the top club sides in the country, despite the Derry inter-county team currently operating at Christy Ring level.

Slaughtneil facing tough test heading into All-Ireland hurling semi-final

Slaughtneil will take on Galway champions Loughrea this Sunday at Parnell Park

Historic Ulster win can inspire the next generation - McNicholl

Neil McNicholl hails "unbelievable" impact of Ulster title

Beyond their own ambitions, McGrath, a stalwart of the Johnny McGarvey-managed Derry side, hopes the club’s success can help drive hurling forward within the county and across the wider province.

“It’s hugely important for Derry to have a team with the strength of Slaughtneil, but it’s also important for Ulster hurling as a whole that our provincial champions are competing well on the national stage,” he said.

“We want to raise the profile of hurling within Derry, but we also need to raise it across Ulster. Down and Antrim are playing Division 1 hurling this year, and that’s the level we have to be striving to reach as well.”