AIB Ulster Club SHC final: Ruairi Og, Cushendall (Antrim) 1-24 Robert Emmet’s, Slaughtneil (Derry) 3-17 (aet)
WHAT a game this was. Nip and tuck and toe-to-toe from first whistle to last as the sides threw everything they had at each
other.
Everything was left on the pitch but after 80 pulsating minutes it was the Cushendall fans who invaded it with broad smiles on their faces after their favourites emerged with a one-point win to take the Four Seasons Cup for the first time since 2008.
It was impossible not to feel for Slaughtneil who displayed extraordinary courage and character in the club’s 13th senior fixture in 11 gruelling weeks. They had held a two-point lead going into the second period of extra-time, but Cushendall found the energy to sprint for the line and crush their dreams of Ulster glory.
The Ruairi Ogs began the game well too and Neil McManus gave them an early lead with two points (one a free). But Slaughtneil set the pattern for the game by quickly getting back on terms thanks to the first of Cormac O’Doherty’s nine points from placed balls followed by and instinctive strike from Michael Kearney.
However, the Antrim men had the edge at that stage and another McManus free and two from play from the experienced Karl McKeegan left daylight between the sides.
O’Doherty pulled one back but Cushendall surged ahead once more and when McManus nailed his second from play they led 0-8 to 0-3 and were looking comfortable.
Slaughtneil tore the initiative from them in the final five minutes of the half. Chrissy McKaigue inspired their comeback with two points and then punted the ball into the Cushendall square.
Eoin Gillan batted it away but Brendan Rodgers, who was well shackled by Arron Graffin, came flying through the air to volley his clearance back into the net. Two more O’Doherty frees meant the Emmet’s led 1-7 to 0-8 at the interval.
He added another free just after the restart to leave his side three ahead but this time it was Cushendall’s turn to come roaring back thanks to two more frees from McManus and a Donal McNaughton point.
It was breathless stuff. Slaughtneil broke from the puck-out and Gareth O’Kane pulled on the sliothair after David Kearney failed to clear and the ball ended up in the back of the Cushendall net.
The Antrim men didn’t panic though and again McManus showed a calm head from a placed ball and then Shane McNaughton conjured up one of the scores of the game from the left wing.
O’Doherty squeezed over another free but the action raced to the other end and Christy McNaughton showed his class when he blocked down an attempted clearance by Oisin O’Doherty, left a defender on the seat of his pants and swept the sliothar into the net.
Rodgers equalised but a monster effort from Eoghan Campbell and a second point for Shane McNaughton, now operating to good effect at full-forward, meant his side led 1-15 to 2-10 as the game entered the crucial final 10 minutes.
Inevitably Slaughtneil rallied once more and Brian Cassidy gave Aidan McNaughton the slip and drilled the ball past Eoin Gillan. Christy McNaughton and Oisin O’Doherty swapped scores and the nerveless McManus edged his side into the lead as the seconds ticked away.
Cushendall needed to hold on to possession, but they couldn’t and O’Doherty fired over another free to level it at 3-12 to 1-18 after Campbell had dragged down O’Kane.
The referee blew it up from the puck-out and the sides gathered themselves for 20 minutes’ of extra-time. The consensus was that extra-time would be hardest on Slaughtneil given their hectic schedule but they quickly proved otherwise.
McManus had sent Cushendall ahead but the other three scores in the first 10 minutes all came from Slaughtneil sticks – Cassidy, O’Doherty and O’Kane were all on target.
Just like the first half, the Derry men probably didn’t want the period to end and went it did they had a two-point lead and must have hoped it would be enough to see them over the line.
It wasn’t. Donal McNaughton clipped over a sideline and Sean McAfee levelled. O’Doherty briefly had Slaughtneil back in front but McManus immediately cancelled it out and Conor Carson made his first telling contribution with a superb strike to restore his side’s lead.
McManus’s 13th point widened the gap but of course Slaughtneil refused to give up. Rodgers clawed one back and then Gillan was forced to rush off his line to block as Mark McGuigan had a sniff of a match-winning goal.
The sliothar was scrambled away and O’Doherty sent his sideline puck wide. It was cruel on him and cruel on his club because referee James Clarke blew it up from the puck out.
Cushendall’s delight lit up the evening gloom while Slaughtneil’s disappointment matched it. The Antrim men march on to the All-Ireland series while Derry’s Emmet’s will hope for better luck next year.
