Hurling & Camogie

Slaughtneil and Banagher to meet in Derry hurling final

Slaughtneil's Brian Corbett tangles with Reece McSorley and John McCloskey of Ballinascreen Picture by Margaret McLaughlin
Slaughtneil's Brian Corbett tangles with Reece McSorley and John McCloskey of Ballinascreen Picture by Margaret McLaughlin Slaughtneil's Brian Corbett tangles with Reece McSorley and John McCloskey of Ballinascreen Picture by Margaret McLaughlin

McGurk Chartered Architects Derry SHC semi-finals

THE Derry SHC final will feature reigning champions Slaughtneil and Banagher, the Emmett’s chasing five successive Fr Collins Cup titles.

Slaughtneil crushed the Ballinascreen in the second half after the sides had finished all square at half-time.

Banagher trailed by a point, 0-7 to 1-3, at half-time but the 30th minute dismissal of Tomas Brady on a second yellow card had a major impact on the outcome as Banagher outscored Lynch’s in the final quarter 1-3 to 0-2 for victory.

Banagher 2-11 Kevin Lynch’s 1-11

NIALL Ferris and Tiarnan McCloskey exchanged early points before Ferris put Kevin Lynch’s ahead and Odhran McKeever converted two frees for 0-4 to 0-1in the 8th minute.

Darragh Carton pointed two frees either side of a McKeever pointed free for 0-5 to 0-3, Corey O’Reilly and Odhran McKeever extending the Kevin Lynch’s lead to four points, 0-7 to 0-3 in the 26th minute.

Then came Oisin McCloskey’s first goal two minutes from the break. He drove into the goalmouth, lost his hurl but hand-passed the ball to the net!

Then Tomas Brady picked up a second yellow card and Lynch’s went in 0-7 to 1-3 ahead.

However, by the end of the third quarter their lead was stretched to 1-9 to 1-5 – Carton (free), O’Reilly, McKeever and Ferris the respective scorers.

But Banagher showed in the final quarter that they had the resolve and the scoring touch not only to bridge the four-point gap but also to forge ahead as Kevin Lynch’s tired with the numerical disadvantage.

Sean McCullagh, keeper Daryl McDermott – with a monster free from distance – and Steafan McCloskey narrowed the gap to the minimum.

Then in the 47th minute, McCloskey grabbed a second goal and Kevin Lynch’s were unable to bridge the gap, Kevin Hinphey and Niall Ferris pointing for Lynch’s, Darragh Carton with two frees and Steafan McCloskey responding for the winners.

Banagher scorers: O McCloskey 2-0, D Carton 0-6 (5f), S McCloskey 0-2, T McCloskey 0-1f, S McCullagh 0-1, D McDermott 0-1f

Kevin Lynch’s scorers: O McKeever 0-6 (5f), C Armstrong 1-1, N Ferris 0-3, K Hinphey 0-1

Slaughtneil 1-21 Ballinascreen 1-8

REIGNING champions Slaughtneil got off to a positive start with points from Sé McGuigan and Brendan Rogers but for the remainder of the half Ballinascreen showed that they were going to defend resolutely in numbers and to try and pick off scores on the break.

Paul Cleary hit their first point in the 12th minute, Brendan Herron from a free replying to a Sean Cassidy minor midway through the half.

Again, Herron was on target, this time with a scrambled goal in crowded goalmouth, after Cormac O’Doherty landed a superb point from the halfway line.

At 1-2 to 0-4 Ballinascreen were unlikely but deserving leaders but points from Brendan Rogers and the mercurial Sé McGuigan put Slaughtneil back in front.

Four minutes from half-time Sean McBride tied up the scores at 0-6 to 1-3. The sides were still level at half-time after McGuigan pointed frees either side of two from Phillip McGlade.

Unfortunately, Ballinascreen keeper Gareth Haskins was injured when he collided with a post as he watched and after a lengthy delay for on-field treatment he was taken to hospital.

Within five minutes of the restart, McGuigan from a free, Sean Cassidy and McGuigan from play and a free had opened a four-point gap and from that to the end they restricted Ballinascreen to points from Herron, McBride and John McCloskey.

All the while Sé McGuigan brought his tally to 0-10, Gerald Bradley hit 0-3, while Cormac O’Doherty’s last minute goal brought his tally to 1-3.

Slaughtneil scorers: Sé McGuigan 0-10 (7f), C O’Doherty 1-3, G Bradley 0-3, B Rogers 0-2, S Cassidy 0-2,

C McAllister 0-1

Ballinascreen scorers: B Herron 1- 2, P McGlade 0-2, S McBride 0-2f, P Cleary 0-1, J McCloskey 0-1