DERRY SCC: Slaughtneil chase nine in repeat of 2020 decider

The Elk Derry Senior camogie final

Sunday 30th October at 3.30pm

Slaughtneil v Swatragh

It is two years since Slaughtneil needed to pull out all the stops in Bellaghy to survive in the Derry senior final.

Swatragh put them to the pin of their collars that day but somehow the champions found the late scores to bring it to a replay, 2-15 to 3-12.

The scoring in that replay was much lower, 2-8 to 1-7, but goals from Josie McMullan and Sinéad Mellon were enough to get Slaughtneil over the line.

That drawn final was the last time Gráinne Ní Chatháin started a championship game for them. During the course of the game she damaged her ACL and missed the replay.

She returned for a cameo performance in the group game against Bellaghy in August, but was unavailable for the semi-final with Lavey at the start of October.

But Ní Chatháin has been in flying form in recent challenge games against Clonduff and Dublin side St Vincent's and is expected to fill the full-back position against Swatragh. 

Siobhán and Tina Bradley were also missing for that drawn game two years ago. Both are back this year and in terrific form orchestrating the attack, although it was a surprise to see both on the wings against Lavey while Clíodhna Ní Mhianáin filled in at centre-forward.

Action from the 2020 final meeting between the two sides. Pic by Mark Doherty

That move however resulted in a lot of space down the centre as Ní Mhianáin dropped back into midfield for much of the game. It will be interesting to see if she remains at centre-forward or whether there might be a role for Aoife Ní Chaiside, full-back v Lavey, in the half-forward line.

Whatever way you look at it, despite the absence of Shannon Graham and the injured Therese Mellon, the Emmet's look a formidable force seeking their eighth successive county title.

Does that mean that Swatragh don't have a chance of closing the gap to the last of their 27 titles nearly two decades ago?

Having watched them make their way through to the final, they looked improved upon recent versions. There was always plenty of skill in Swatragh teams, but this year they seem to be trying to use the ball out of defence a lot better with half-forwards holding the sliotar for the runner coming off the shoulder. 

MEET THE SQUAD: Slaughtneil vying for ninth senior camogie title

The Emmet's take on Swatragh in Sunday's decider.

That has worked well against their opponents up until now, but they will face a team that has been going through the same routines for much longer and seem to be able to operate it at a much greater pace.

Dara McGuckin and Máiréad McNicholl seem to have got a lot more space around them and they have been able to pick off scores at times unchallenged. As always Gráinne McNicholl looks to be the key player with her runs from deep.

Although they won their semi-final with Ballinascreen by 1-15 to 1-7, that was their least impressive performance of the championship.

Their defence coped well under pressure, but the 'Screen were able to temper their attacking for periods and it took a little bit of individual brillaince from Máiréad McNicholl to keep them on course for the final.

Slaughtneil's Sinead Mellon in action. Pic by Mark Doherty.

A win over Slaughtneil in the league final back in August will have given Swatragh a lot of confidence, but it says a lot for the eight-in-a-row chasing Emmet's that they are still firm favourties to make it through to another Ulster final showdown with Loughgiel.

That "underdog" tag will suit Swatragh, but they will need to do well over the first quarter to get a foothold in the game. That initial period is where Slaughtneil has taken control of their games up until now.

If championship form over the past couple of months counts, this should be a great final, but it will rate as a massive shock if Swatragh stop the Slaughtneil train.