GAA: Slaughtneil favourites to retain hurling title
McGURK ARCHITECTS SHC FINAL - Slaughtneil v Banagher
Sunday 3.45 - Owenbeg
IT wasn’t always like this but for the last three years the Fr Collins Cup left Owenbeg on the Emmet Park bandwagon. Twice Gareth O’Kane collected the cup and last season it was Chrissy McKaigue. Slaughtneil are on the crest of a wave - after decades in the doldrums, grabbing the odd title here and there.
On Sunday Steafan McCloskey and former St Patrick’s Maghera classmate Chrissy McKaigue will lead their teams from the Owenbeg tunnel. The Robbies are all too familiar with the protocol and the surroundings in the shadow of Benbradagh - it’s a home from home.
Banagher are starting to enjoy it. Speaking after the first round win over Ballinascreen, skipper McCloskey spoke of pre-season training and the satisfaction of playing in the summer. “It’s what you prepare all year for,” McCloskey insisted. The volume of games doesn’t matter.
Decades of underage development have brought Slaughtneil from the shadows of Lavey and Kevin Lynchs to the top of the tree in Derry. Last season in the Athletic Grounds they came up short in another battle with Ulster rivals Cushendall.
Three times champions Banagher are the breath of fresh air to the hurling championship this year, a league defeat to Sunday’s opponents Slaughtneil is the only blot on their copybook.
Brian McGilligan was satisfied with the form but championship is where it counts. Before last season’s clash with Lavey the Banagher boss questioned his team’s body language. The atmosphere in the dressing room wasn’t at the required pitch.
Banagher were not mentally prepared and McGilligan told them as much. He doesn’t paper over the cracks, he calls a spade a spade. The former Derry dual player takes no credit for this season’s championship run. It’s the players, they need to ‘stand tall’ as he puts it.
The Roes, Sean McCullagh, talisman Shane Farren and his own son Brian Óg have formed the spine of the side but in the previous two games Mark Lynch has answered the call.
A goal in the first game stopped Ballinascreen’s comeback before it really got off the ground. In the semi-final when Corey O’Reilly cut the margin to four points, Lynch put his hand up (quite literally) again – catching a vital puckout, leading to a score after a Banagher lull.
Sunday brings a whole different set of challenges but red hot favourites Slaughtneil are untested so far this year. Their early blitz sunk Lavey in round one. Swatragh kept in touch with Mickey McShane’s side until after half time when a total dominance on the puck outs saw them take over and inevitably pull through.
With Banagher’s football game called off last week, it gave them an extra week of hurling and with a clean bill of health it is the perfect scenario.
Slaughtneil will have to wait for the availability of defender Sean Cassidy. Both Mickeys (Moran and McShane) have spent the last two years praying for a clean bill of health.
This was an unexpected injury with Cassidy feeling the full brunt of an accidental collision with his own Cormac McKenna. He could have picked lesser men than ‘Cutler’ to have a run in with and spent a spell in hospital as a precaution.
If Cassidy doesn’t recover in time, Slaughtneil have a plethora of options to select from. Brian Óg Corbett has played in defence, so too have Peadar Kearney and Jarlath Mulholland who featured last season.
When the sides met in the 2000 final Michael Kearney played wing back, the sole survivor still playing and the ageless ‘Maxol’ could be an option after sterling performances last season.
Minor player Brian Cassidy was a regular last season and featured in a cameo role against Swatragh recently. His eye for goal could see him considered in attack with Chrissy McKaigue deployed elsewhere.