Errigal Derry Senior Camogie Championship final: Slaughtneil 1-15 Swatragh 0-7
FORMER Down defender Bríd McGourty fired home a goal and three points as Slaughtneil made it nine-in-a-row in Derry with a measured performance against Swatragh in Bellaghy yesterday.
McGourty, a sister of Down goalie Catherine, is due to marry Slaughtneil dual player Brendan Rogers before the end of the year. Her exploits with the camogie team, as much as Rodgers’ own club commitments could well put a question mark over the wedding date.
McGourty’s scores, three first-half points and a second-half goal to finish her team’s scoring, grabbed the headlines but it was more familiar names such as player-of-the-match Aoife Ní Chaiside, Céat McEldowney and free-taker Olivia Rafferty who had Swatragh on the rack at half-time.
Thy led by 0-11 to two pointed frees from Máiréad McNicholl. Rafferty had hit the target with three points from frees and another from play while there were singles from Cliona Mulholland, Brídín McAllister and Caoimhe Kearney.
Swatragh had the aid of a slight breeze for the second half and opened the scoring with a point from Aoibheann Mullan. But, as Slaughtneil have shown over their years at the top, the champions are not known to give up leads.
Points from Rafferty (free), Kearney and then two from Sinéad Mellon made it 0-15 to 0-4 midway through the half.
McGourty’s goal was the final nail in Swatragh’s coffin. Next up is an Ulster semi-final with the Antrim champions at the start of November.
SCORERS
Slaughtneil: B McGourty 1-3; O Rafferty 0-5 (0-4f); C Kearney & S Mellon 0-2 each; C Mulholland, B McAllister & E McGuigan 0-1 each
Swatragh: M McNicholl 0-4 (0-3f); A Mullan, C Conway & E Murray 0-1 each
