ULSTER SHC: Slaughtneil sail past Portaferry into Ulster final

Ulster SHC semi final

Slaughtneil 2-24

Portaferry (Down) 0-11

It was facile in the end for the Emmet's at Corrigan Park as they brushed aside the challenge of Down champions Portaferry to reach the Ulster senior hurling final for the fifth time in seven years.

A 19-point margin told its own story; the vast gulf in the level at which these two teams are operating was underlined under the chill of Belfast's November sky.

In fact, the game may have been welcomed around south Derry as a chance to blow off any cobwebs accrued during an eight-week lay-off leading into Sunday's game.

Portaferry had their own gap in action – six weeks – in the lead-up, and the slight difference may have influenced the early exchanges.

Naomh Pádraig were ahead within seconds of the throw-in through Tom McGrattan, and led by three points to one by the time Conor O'Prey notched his first in the fifth minute.

Cormac O'Doherty reduced the gap but it took Slaughneil until the midway point of the first half to draw level, before outscoring their opponents by seven points to two to lead 0-10 to 0-5 at the break.

The unlikely comeback looked even less likely as the Emmet's started the second half in their groove and when Brian Cassidy found the net on 36 minutes, Portaferry's fate was effectively sealed.

By the end of the third quarter the reigning champions led by nine points, and there was no let-up as they drove home their advantage.

A 53rd minute finish from substitute Jerome McGuigan iced a cake that was well set and though a low Ronan Blair effort shaved the crossbar towards the end, there was little to threaten Oisín O'Doherty.

Dunloy manager Gregory O'Kane watched on from the stands, casting an eye over an Emmet's side the Cúchullain's will meet in the December 4 final.

Slaughtneil: Oisín O'Doherty, Paul McNeill, Karl McKaigue, Conor McAllister, Sean Cassidy, Chrissy McKaigue, Meehaul McGrath, Shane McGuigan (0-4), Cormac O'Doherty (0-9f), Peter McCullagh (0-1), Brian Cassidy (1-7, 0-1f), Ruairí Ó Mianáin, Brendan Rogers (0-3), Sé McGuigan, Shéa Cassidy

Subs: Gerald Bradley for Francis McEldowney (43), Jerome McGuigan (1-0) for Sé McGuigan (43), Mark McGuigan for Ruairí Ó Mianáin (47), Eamon Cassidy for Meehaul McGrath (58)

Portaferry: Pearse Smyth, Darragh Mallon, Tom Murray, Ronan Smyth, Barry Trainor, Caolan Taggart, Emmett O'Neill, Matthew Conlan, Shane Conlan, Connor Mageean, Daithí Sands (0-1), Conor O'Prey (0-4, 0-1f), Tom McGrattan (0-2), Ronan Blair (0-2f), Finn Turpin (0-2)

Subs: Conor Fay for Ronan Blair (46), Padraig Doran for Shane Conlan (50), Ciaran Savage for Ronan Smyth (54), Niall Milligan for Tom McGrattan (57)

Ref: Colm McDonald (Antrim)