Derry hurling championship preview: Slaughtneil chase their 12th consecutive title

Owenbeg will play host to the three Derry hurling finals this Sunday.

The senior hurling final will be contested between Slaughtneil and Banagher, with the former looking to win their 12th title in a row but to also become the second most successful hurling club in the county, tied with Lavey with 18 championships, closing in on 23-time champion Kevin Lynch’s record.

Slaughtneil will be confident coming into the final of making this a reality after they competently put Banagher to the sword in their group game earlier in the championship as they won 3-22 to 0-7, and easing their way to the final against Kevin Lynch’s.

Both clubs had a disappointing weekend last time out as they suffered defeats in the senior and intermediate championships as Glen progressed past Slaughtneil and Ballinderry defeated Banagher, respectively. 

The dual players will look to put this disappointment behind them and secure silverware this season. 

Banagher know they have a mountain to climb at the foot of the Sperrins on Sunday, but anything can happen in a one-off game as they look to secure only their fourth senior championship, their first since 2005.

Ahead of the throw-in at 4pm on Sunday, it looks incredibly one-sided, but Banagher hopes it is their fourth time lucky against Slaughtneil since 2013, as they look to shock the country by securing the Leadon Timber Frame Senior Hurling Championship.

The intermediate final will be contested by Swatragh and Kevin Lynch's, with the latter confident of lifting the trophy after reaching the final of the senior championship the last five seasons yet never tasting victory due to the dominance of Slaughtneil.

Yet, the draw that the clubs played out in the first round of the championship indicates the game is set to be quite the contest. 

Swatragh pushed Banagher close and will be disappointed to have lost the semi-final of the senior to qualify for the intermediate final, but having qualified for the competition, they will be hopeful to win their third title in seven years.

The battle between these two sides and the fact it will be nip and tuck may make it the essential fixture to be at this weekend from the three championship matches.

Expect a cagey fixture that will go down to the wire, one it throws in at 2pm. 

The opening match on Sunday sees Lavey face off against Ballinascreen, as Lavey looks to win their second junior title in three years.

Ballinascreen won the intermediate title last season, so will look to make it back to back seasons of silverware.

Similar to the intermediate final, Lavey and Ballinascreen faced off already in the championship in the group stages, with the game finishing 1-15 to 1-15.

With many expecting Slaughtneil to walk the senior final, apart from those involved with Banagher, this competitive final may make it one fans want to witness ahead of the other fierce final, the intermediate.

Ballinascreen dominated their semi-final against Eoghan Rua and will look to this as a confidence boost to help them lift the trophy, while Lavey overcame Na Magha in a tighter affair, which may set them up to edge this tight final when it gets tight towards the end.

What is a certainty is that Derry hurling fans will be in for an incredible display on Sunday as the three finals are contested.