Slaughtneil power past St John's to claim Ulster title
Slaughtneil (Derry) 0-23 Naomh Eoin (Antrim) 0-10
Derry champions, Slaughtneil, ran out deserved victors to clinch their second Ulster Hurling Championship in as many years after a 13-point victory over Antrim champions St John’s at the Athletic Grounds in Armagh.
St John’s got proceedings underway when Oisin MacManus pointed from an early free which came directly from Slaughtneil impeding during the throw-in to begin the game.
It took the Derry Champions almost eight minutes before they found a response, but they did so when Shea Cassidy saw his strike from short range to restore parity.
Wides cost the Antrim champions in the early stages of the game. Nerves crept in during their first Ulster final in 52 years.
Their opponents would not be as wasteful when Sé McGuigan and Cormac O'Doherty put their side ahead and that is where they would stay for the remainder.
It was far from as dominant a performance as the scoreline might have suggested. Slaughtneil were not the free-flowing attacking presence they usually aspire to be.
The Johnnies battled well, but the Ulster holders showed an exhibition in defensive structure - proving a tall task for St John's to break down.
Oisín MacManus starred for the Johnnies throughout, managing nine of their total. The Down forward proved deadly and gave his counterparts serious food for thought after he continued to drive home multiple points from the dead-ball situations.
Despite controlling the game and the lead, Slaughtneil could not extend the gap beyond four points and would take until midway through the second half before they eventually pressed home for the advantage.
Sé Cassidy's terrific spin and strike saw white flags raised just prior to the half-time whistle, the favourites led, but only by a mere four points.
O'Doherty and MacManus were in top form for their sides, managing 19 points between them throughout the game.
The pair exchanged scores at the restart but St John's would begin to fade when Brendan Rodgers struck a pair of points and O'Doherty's third free of the evening flew between the posts.
Chrissy McKaigue's off-the-shoulder point would see the Slaughtneil fans loudly cheer as they knew the Ulster title was once more returning to their trophy cabinet.
Slaughtneil began to ramp up the pressure and continued to tick over the scoreboard when Prionsas Burke and Shea Cassidy both saw the umpires raise their white flags as the game slipped away from Antrim's finest.
O'Doherty's tenth point of the evening sealed the victory and it proved to be a comprehensive one at that with 13-points separating the sides in the end.
Slaughtneil will now look to face the Galway champions Loughrea in the All-Ireland semi-finals.
St John’s: Domhnall Nugent; Ryan McNulty, Conor Johnston, Jack Bohill; Conal Morgan, Peter McCallin, Enda McGurk; Sean Wilson (0-01), Aaron Bradley; Michial Dudley, Conor Johnston, Conall Bohill; Donal Carson, Shea Shannon, Oisin Mac Manus (0-9, 7f)
Subs: Caoimhin Hanna for Peter McCallin
Slaughtneil: Oisin O’Doherty; Fionn McEldowney, Paul McNeil, Conor McAllister; Ruairí Ó Mianáin, Meehaul McGrath, Shane McGuigan; Cathal Ó Mianáin, Chrissy McKaigue (0-01); Mark McGuigan, Sé McGuigan (0-02), Eamon Cassidy (0-01); Brendan Rogers (0-02), Cormac O’Doherty (0-10, 8f) Shéa Cassidy (0-05, 2f).
Subs: Conor Coyle for Meehaul McGrath, Gerald Bradley for Sé McGuigan, Prionsas Burke (0-01) for Chrissy McKaigue, Peter McCullagh for Eamon Cassidy.
