Errigal Group Derry Senior Camogie Championship final
Slaughtneil v Swatragh (Saturday, Glen, 3pm)
THE only surprise in the club championships across the counties came last Saturday in Cavan, where Denn took a first-ever title at Crosserlough’s expense.
Is there another shock in the only remaining county final? Can Swatragh end Slaughtneil’s nine-year reign in Derry.
Swatragh, of course, accumulated 20 successive titles themselves from their first in 1974 and also claimed four Ulster titles during that period of dominance.
But even those achievements pale in significance in comparison to what Slaughtneil have achieved over the last decade – six Ulsters in a row and three successive All-Irelands.
Just a handful of players remain from the three-in-a-row national winning teams – but they have been very prominent in this season’s title-race, Josie McMullan in goals, Céat McEldowney and the half-back line of Brídín McAllister, Aoife Ní Chaiside, Clíodhna Ní Mhianáin, along with Sinéad Mellon and Tina Bradley.
Mellon has re-located to midfield, but most of the others are playing in positions where they collected their All-Ireland medals.
Last year, Bríd Rogers came in to the mix in the forward line and she certainly has proven to be a huge addition – as indeed have the younger players, Caoimhe Kearney and Aoibh Mulholland, either side of her.
Swatragh too have got a welcome lift from younger players staking their claim to a place in the team, notably Ellie McCartney in defence and Eimear Murray up front.
Both were in the running for player-of-the-match in their semi-final tussle with Ballinascreen a fortnight ago. Another, Cáit Conway, was also doing well in the team this year until she picked up an injury. She won’t make it back in time for this final.
However, it is likely to be the leadership of the more experienced players that will be decisive if Swatragh are to upset the odds and take their first title since 2005.
Goalkeeper Niamh McQuillan, defenders Niamh Quinn and Gráinne McAtamney, Dervla O’Kane and Máiréad McNicholl are all players with inter-county experience. They are likely to be in direct opposition to Slaughtneil’s equally experienced players.
If these players can break even in their head-to-heads, then the younger ones will be expected to pick up the pieces and push for victory.
The respective 10-point victories in the semi-finals were different in how they were achieved. Slaughtneil used the breeze to build up a lead against Lavey and then they had the game management skills to defend it in the second half.
Swatragh played against the breeze and were two goals down at the break against Ballinascreen. Within 10 minutes of the re-start they were ahead and went on to win comfortably. No real surprises there at all.
Both clubs have new management teams this year and you are looking for clues as to how they might approach the final. Neither team changed much from how they lined out through the group stages.
We know that Slaughtneil are very good at managing games, particularly when they are just a point or two ahead. We haven’t seen them too often in Derry coming from behind; they just haven’t been in the situation.
Swatragh did just that against ‘Screen, but doing the same against Slaughtneil is much more difficult. You would feel that they would need to lead from the start and refuse to blink when the pressure is applied.
But no-one expects them to win. So there shouldn’t be any pressure on them.
At Ulster level, it took Loughgiel a long time to break Slaughtneil’s winning sequence. It eventually came to pass. Swatragh supporters will hope that day for change has finally come in Derry.
Verdict Most people see it as Slaughtneil’s to lose.
