Four-goal McGuigan masterclass fires Slaughtneil clear in Owenbeg thriller

Slaughtneil powered to an impressive 6-16 to 2-17 victory to keep their championship hopes alive while condemning Banagher to the relegation series following a highly entertaining O’Neill’s Senior Football Championship Round 2B clash at Owenbeg on Sunday afternoon.

The scoreline does not reflect just how nip-and-tuck the game was, with the sides level eight times before the decisive final quarter, when Slaughtneil eventually powered clear while playing with a two-man advantage.

Derry sharpshooter Shane McGuigan was in imperious form for Robert Emmet’s, finishing the afternoon with a remarkable personal tally of 4-6.

Christopher Bradley opened the scoring in the sixth minute, only for Ruairi Biggs to push Banagher ahead with a two-pointer. Inter-county star McGuigan then flashed over to level when a goal looked on before Sé Cassidy pushed Slaughtneil 0-3 to 0-2 ahead in the seventh minute.

Gavin O’Neill edged Banagher ahead with their second two-pointer as the sides continued to trade scores in a tit-for-tat opening quarter. McGuigan and Bradley cancelled out a Peter Hagan brace, leaving the sides level at 0-6 to 0-5 in favour of St Mary’s.

The decisive first-half score came shortly after the quarter-hour mark as Paul McNeil marauded forward before rifling an emphatic shot into the roof of the net to open up a two-point gap in favour of Robert Emmet’s.

Banagher responded with a brace from Eamon Óg Feeney and Tiarnan Moore, while McGuigan and Conor Coyle pointed for Slaughtneil to leave the game finely poised at 1-7 to 0-9.

The game followed much the same pattern after the restart as a Callum Armstrong two-pointer followed by a Tiarnan Moore effort that pushed St Mary’s 0-12 to 1-7 ahead.

Shea Cassidy and McGuigan responded with a brace of two-point efforts for Robert Emmet’s, while Eamon Óg Feeney and Moore were on target for Banagher, pulling the sides level for the eighth time in the fortieth minute.

However, the final quarter-hour descended into drama. McGuigan scored a spectacular goal to open up a three-point gap, only for Slaughtneil to be immediately pegged back when Ciaran Lynch converted a penalty, with Cathal Ó Mianáin receiving a black card in the aftermath.

Moore and Bradley exchanged points before McGuigan dispatched a penalty of his own. Senan Lockhart then received his marching orders as both sides were reduced to 14 men in the fiftieth minute, with Slaughtneil edging further ahead at 3-13 to 1-15.

Just two minutes later, McGuigan completed his hat-trick with another spot-kick, while Cathal McGilligan received a red card. With Banagher now facing a two-man disadvantage, the chaos continued as Tiarnan Moore landed Banagher’s second goal, followed by a brace of points, leaving the scoreboard reading 4-13 to 2-17.

However, Slaughtneil eventually made their numerical advantage count. With their full complement restored and Banagher down two men, Robert Emmet’s pushed on in the closing stages. Bradley added a point before Brendan Rogers landed a two-pointer, and the champions-elect then put the seal on a remarkable afternoon with two late quickfire goals from McGuigan and Bradley.

After a contest that had remained delicately balanced for almost an hour, Slaughtneil’s late surge ultimately turned the game into an emphatic victory.

Robert Emmet’s can now look forward to a quarter-final playoff against one of the beaten sides from Round 2A, as they continue to juggle their dual commitments with a 14th consecutive Fr Collins Cup final approaching in a fortnight.

For Banagher, the defeat brings an end to their immediate hopes of reaching the quarter-finals, and they will now join Faughanvale and Loup in the relegation battle as they fight to preserve their senior status.

Slaughtneil: Antoin McMullan; Cahal O Mianain, Paul McNeill, Eamon Cassidy; Raymond Dillon, Karl McKaigue, Chrissy McKaigue; Brendan Rogers, Cahal McKaigue; Shea Cassidy, Padraig Cassidy, Conor Coyle; Christopher Bradley, Shane McGuigan, Se McGuigan.

Substitutes: Peter McCullagh for R Dillon (40 mins), Ciaran McEldowney for E Cassidy (45 mins), Eoin Mulholland for C Bradley (58 mins), Cormac O’Doherty for Shane McGuigan (58 mins).

Scorers: Shane McGuigan 4-6 (2-0 pen, 2f, 1 2P), Christopher Bradley 1-4 2f, Paul McNeil 1-0, Brendan Rogers 0-2 (1 2P), Se McGuigan 0-2 (1 2P), Conor Coyle 0-1, Shea Cassidy 0-1.

Banagher: Callum Armstrong; Cathair McGilligan, Keelan O’Kane, Senan Lockhart; Jack O’Neill, Gavin O’Neill, Shane Murphy; Michael Hagan, Chris McCullagh; Peter Hagan, Eamon Og Feeney, Ruairi Quirk, Fionn Cartin, Tiarnan Moore.

Substitutes: Eoin Cartin for F Cartin (54 mins)

Scorers: Tiarnan Moore 1-6 (2f), Eamon Og Feeney 0-3,Ciaran Lynch 1-0 (pen), Ruairi Biggs 0-2 (1 2P), Gavin O’Neill 0-2 (1 2P), Peter Hagan 0-2 (1f), Callum Armstrong 0-2 (2PF)

Referee: Sean Curran.