Slaughtneil claim back-to-back Ulster titles for second time in their history

Slaughtneil claimed back-to-back Ulster titles for just the second time in their history, securing their sixth Four Seasons Cup with a comprehensive 0-23 to 0-10 victory over Antrim’s St John’s in frigid conditions at the Box-It Athletic Grounds in Armagh on Saturday evening.

The game was played with ferocious intensity and physicality, but it was the Derry champions whose class and experience ultimately pulled them clear of a spirited St John’s side playing in their first provincial final since their last Antrim crown in 1973.

The West Belfast side secured their first county title since 1973 with a 2-16 to 1-18 victory over a much-fancied Loughgiel Shamrocks in October, finally bridging a 52-year gap. They then eased past Donegal’s Setanta to book their place in Saturday evening’s provincial decider.

Meanwhile, Slaughtneil claimed their thirteenth consecutive Fr Collins Cup after comfortably seeing off Kevin Lynch’s in the Leadon Timber Frames Derry senior hurling final. They followed that up with a hard-fought win over Down’s Portaferry a fortnight ago, a repeat of last year’s provincial final, to set up a highly anticipated showdown with St John’s.

Cormac O’Doherty delivered a man-of-the-match performance for Slaughtneil, finishing with an impressive 0-10 from half-back. Down inter-county forward Oisín McManus carried the scoring burden for St John’s, registering all but one of their points, with all but three of their total coming from placed balls.

St John’s finished the game with fourteen men after Oisín Donnelly received a straight red card in additional time for a dangerous high challenge on rising star Cathal Ó Mianáin, who was making his Ulster final debut at midfield.

The thirteen-in-a-row Derry champions now face Galway’s Loughrea in the All-Ireland semi-final in three weeks’ time. Slaughtneil will be eager for another chance to finally break their semi-final hoodoo, having never progressed past the last four.

Paul McCormack’s side came agonisingly close to doing so last year, losing 0-18 to 0-17 to Cork’s Sarsfields in heartbreaking fashion.

In a gritty opening spell, it took Slaughtneil time to settle, with St John’s bringing fierce physicality to the early exchanges. McManus gave the Belfast men the ideal start, pointing a free inside the opening minute. It wasn’t until the eighth minute that Shea Cassidy got Slaughtneil off the mark, before Seán McGuigan and O’Doherty pushed them two ahead.

A superb Cassidy effort on the quarter-hour mark was matched by another McManus free, leaving the sides at double scores, 0-4 to 0-2, by the 18th minute. Eamonn Cassidy, Shane McGuigan, and Shea Cassidy all found the target for Robert Emmet’s, but McManus remained flawless from placed balls, keeping St John’s within striking distance.

Three minutes before the interval, Se McGuigan landed an excellent solo score, though McManus replied with St John’s first point from play in the 29th minute. Brendan Rogers then showed his class, firing over the final point of the half to give the reigning champions a 0-9 to 0-5 lead despite a somewhat sluggish first period.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with the margin still at four by the 38th minute thanks to continued accuracy from McManus and the influence of O’Doherty in Slaughtneil’s attacking play. Sean Wilson was the only other St John’s man to register a point, doing so in the thirty-eighth minute.

But the Derry men soon clicked into gear. Over a devastating ten-minute spell, they outscored St John’s 0-6 to 0-1 to surge 0-17 to 0-8 ahead entering the closing stages. McManus eventually ended St John’s seven-minute scoring drought, but by then the contest was effectively over.

During that dominant period, O’Doherty struck four frees, while the experienced Chrissy McKaigue and Brendan Rogers added one each. In the dying minutes, McKaigue and three more O’Doherty frees stretched the lead to 0-21 to 0-10, with another McManus free the only response from the Antrim champions.

McKaigue was forced off with only minutes remaining after a dangerous high tackle from St John’s captain and Antrim hurler Ciarán Johnston, who was extremely fortunate to escape a red card. Moments later, Oisín Donnelly did not receive such leniency, with a high elbow to the face of the 18-year-old Ó Mianáin earning a deserved dismissal.

Proinsias Burke added a fine score before O’Doherty fittingly capped off a vintage display, landing the final point of the match to seal Slaughtneil’s emphatic 0-23 to 0-10 victory.

Slaughtneil: Oisin O’Doherty, Fionn McEldowney, Paul McNeill, Conor McAllister, Ruairi O Mianain, Meehaul McGrath, Shane McGuigan, Cathal O Mianain, Chrissy McKaigue, Mark McGuigan, Se McGuigan, Eamonn Cassidy, Brendan Rogers.

Scorers: Cormac O’Doherty 0-10 (9F), Shea Cassidy 0-3 (1F), Se McGuigan 0-2, Brendan Rogers 0-2, Chrissy McKaigue 0-2, Cathal O’Mianain 0-1, Shane McGuigan 0-1, Proinnsias Burke 0-1, Eamonn Cassidy 0-1

Substitutes: Jerome McGuigan for Shea Cassidy 39 mins, Peter McCullagh for Eamonn Cassidy 52 mins, Conor Coyle for Meehaul McGrath 55 mins, Proinnsias Burke for Chrissy McKaigue 60 mins.

St Johns: Domhnall Nugent, Ryan McNulty, Ciaran Johnston, Jack Bohill, Conal Morgan, Peter McCallin, Enda McGurk, Sean Wilson, Aaron Bradley, Oisin Donnelly, Conor Johnston, Conall Bohill, Oisin McManus, Shea Shannon, Donal Carson

Scorers: Oisin McManus 0-9 (7F), Sean Wilson 0-1.

Substitutes: Caoimhin Hanna for Peter McCallin