FOR nine years, Michael McShane raised standards at Slaughtneil and not only punched a few holes in Ulster hurling’s old order – but changed the face of the small-ball game in the northern province.
The Ballycastle man won nine out of nine county championships and four Ulster titles and might have won another only for COVID cancelling the 2020 provincial championship.
On the All-Ireland stage, they went so close against Na Piarsaigh (2018) and Ballyhale Shamrocks (2019/2020) but no cigar.
McShane stepped away from the south Derry club at the end of last season and former Armagh dual player Paul McCormack has taken the reins, leading Slaughtneil to a 12th consecutive county championship win and is now preparing them for a crack at rivals Cushendall in Saturday’s Ulster semi-final in the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds.
Former dual ace McCormack, who won the Sam Maguire with Armagh in 2002, had a hugely successful club and county career in hurling, captaining his native county to the Nicky Rackard in 2012 before coaching the Louth hurlers for five fruitful years, winning two Lory Meagher titles in 2020 and 2022.
At Monday night’s Ulster Club press event at The Dub, it was put to McCormack that the window of opportunity has narrowed significantly for the Slaughtneil hurlers to win another Ulster and push on in the All-Ireland series.
Of course, it’s dangerous talk to ever write off Slaughtneil - and at the same press briefing Cushendall’s Neil McManus was expecting another tight tussle.
“You know nobody’s going for a handy eight or nine-point victory here,” McManus said.
So, given the high mileage and dual status of many of the Slaughtneil players, are they past their best?
McCormack replies: “Everybody can have their own opinion based on what they’re seeing. The answer is we don’t know.
“But all I can tell you is the club is in a healthy position; there are minors coming through, they’re working really hard at underage - nobody knows the answer to that question.
“I say to the players every time they go out to keep enjoying it, and as along as that’s the case, they’ll compete because they are competitors and they’re still ambitious.”
The Keady man added: “Mickey McShane was there nine years and did one hell of a job. For what he did for those players I don’t think will ever be replicated. But he’s left a fantastic foundation, a fantastic environment.
“It is a great opportunity. We don’t know where we’re at until the game’s on.”
Slaughtneil have never beaten Cushendall in the Ulster series, although they went mightily close in an epic 2015 decider in Armagh.
Last season, the Antrim champions were too strong for them in the provincial final (0-20 to 2-10) – but Slaughtneil will be hoping the highly-rated McCormack will give them a bounce.
“Watching last year’s final just as a spectator and supporter of hurling, Armagh is a brilliant place to play. On Saturday night I hope the boys take the opportunity in front of them.”
Although Chrissy and Karl McKaigue haven’t been part of the senior hurling panel in 2024, McCormack still relies quite heavily on the experienced nucleus who have been there from the start of McShane’s reign in 2015.
But there have been a couple of tweaks too, with young Finn McEldowney continuing to impress while Conor Coyle – sub goalie last season – is looking the part at centre half-back.
Shane McGuigan, just one of many Slaughtneil dual stars, could be in line for another man-marking job on Neil McManus – the undisputed totem of the Ruairi Ogs line-up.
“He’s an incredible player,” McCormack says of McManus.
“I remember being on the Ulster team and Neil was probably 19 and looking answers to questions. I remember him and Arron Graffin when Dominic McKinley was over the team and for Neil to still be doing it is an example. They’re lucky to have him.
“He’s a really important player for Cushendall but they’ve other important players as well so your head would be spinning to put out all those fires. We’re under no illusions. It’s probably going to take more than one man to step up. The game takes on a life of its own but I’m sure we’ll have a plan for the game.”