THE bandwagon just keeps rolling on. Slaughtneil were comfortable winners as they picked up a 12th successive hurling title on Saturday afternoon.
The win cements the champions’ position as Derry’s top dogs and leaves them second with Lavey on 18 titles on Derry hurling’s roll of honour.
“We set out at the start of the year and we weren’t looking any further than Derry,” said captain Mark McGugan, a holder of 12 medals.
“We spoke about the importance of this competition and the respect we have for this competition.
“It wasn’t too long ago Slaughtneil weren’t winning championships so there was a lot of pressure just to keep that run going.”
Saturday’s victory sets up an Ulster semi-final against champions Cushendall with Down kingpins already into the final.
Cormac O’Doherty landed nine points with Shane McGuigan playing a starring role over the hour as the champions’ controlled proceedings.
Banagher’s defensive effort closed out the goal threat Slaughtneil’s glory trail has been often been littered with but they never looked like nicking a goal they needed themselves at the other end.
While it was a 12th title in a row, their newcomers have added freshness over the years. This year, it was typified by corner back Fionn McEldowney who was a tough nut to crack in defence in his first year of senior hurling.
It took Slaughtneil time to get to grips with Banagher who defended stoutly, limiting quality ball towards Brendan Rogers who had a terrific battle with Cathair McGilligan.
Shane McGuigan floated over the first point and it was his delivery that put Rogers through for their second score.
It was McGuigan’s positioning that stood him above the rest. When he picked up a Cormac O’Doherty pass, he played Jack Cassidy in for a score and Slaughtneil were three clear before Darragh Cartin opened the Banagher account with a ninth minute free.
Goalkeeper McDermott was safe as houses under the dropping ball with the Banagher half-back line forcing Slaughtneil to play the ball around the edges, but they had the stickwork to make it count.
Fiontan McGilligan made a block on Jack Cassidy before going through to score to make the score 0-4 to 0-2 with his side’s only score from play.
At the other end, a well worked move looked to have put Rogers in on goal but Cathair McGilligan was in the right place at the right time.
Banagher had a glimmer of goal with 10 minutes to half-time but a pass from Niall Biggs didn’t make the run of Ciaran Lynch.
Without being spectacular, Slaughtneil held control. Points from Ó Mianáin and Cormac O’Doherty pushed them 0-8 to 0-2 ahead by half-time.
The heavens opened early in the second half, leaving conditions tricky. Darragh Cartin fired over an early free but Ó Mianáin, O’Doherty and Sé McGuigan (twice) registered points to open up a 10-point gap by the end of the third quarter.
Both teams missed chances but it was Slaughtneil who were able to see out the game to set up their date with Cushendall next month.
“We’ve probably let ourselves down in how we’ve performed in Ulster so there’s a bit of hurt there,” McGuigan said of their recent Ulster record since their 2021 title.
“Cushendall have been the standard bearers in Ulster for the last couple of years. They probably, in my opinion, are sick themselves that they didn’t win an All-Ireland last year.
“That’s the level they were at but they probably should have beat O’Loughlin Gaels in the All-Ireland semi-final so they’ll be obviously no easy task.
“We’ll probably go on as underdogs but it’s a challenge that we’ll look forward to.”
Slaughtneil: O O’Doherty; P McNeill, R McCartney, F McEldowney; R Ó Mianáin (0-2), C Coyle, Shane McGuigan (0-1); J Cassidy (0-1), M McGrath; M McGuigan, Sé McGuigan (0-2), G Bradley; C O’Doherty (0-9, 0-8 frees); B Rogers (0-1), Shea Cassidy
Subs: E Cassidy for S Cassidy (40), C McAllister for Bradley (41), Cahal McKaigue for Ó Mianáin (48), L Cassidy for J Cassidy (59), E Boylan for M McGuigan (59)
Yellow card: R McCartney (55)
Banagher: D McDermott; J Lynch, R McCloskey, C McGilligan; N Farren, D McCloskey, G Farren; B McGilligan, S McCloskey; S Murphy, F McGilligan (0-1), C Lynch; D Cartin (0-2 frees), O McCloskey, N Biggs
Subs: Callum O’Kane (0-1 free) for Murphy (H-T), Cathal O’Kane for C Lynch (38), S McCullagh for O McCloskey (54), D McGrellis for Cartin (56)
Yellow cards: R McCloskey (34), Cathal O’Kane (54), S McCullagh (55)
Referee: J Connors (Donegal)
