The Elk Complex Derry Senior Camogie Championship Final replay: Slaughtneil 2-8 Swatragh 1-7
SLAUGHTNEIL camogie manager Damian McEldowney hailed the contribution of last season’s substitutes who came through Saturday’s The Elk Complex Derry senior final replay with flying colours to take the Emmet’s to a sixth successive title.
“We have four or five girls there who have been around the panel for three, four, five years and getting little on field action. This year they were needed and they fitted in seamlessly,'' he said.
“We were told in the past that Tina (Bradley) had won games for us. Well, she played just 15 minutes over four matches and a lot players had to step up to show that we are not just dependent on one player.
“We have been lucky over the years with not picking up injuries and losing players in the middle of a competition. This year we had to adapt a lot more. Faoiltiarna (Burke) and Gráinne (Ní Chatháin) picked up bad injuries over the last couple of weeks and players had to step in to replace them. They really came of age today.
“Tactically we had to change a few things from last week. We learned a lot from the drawn final. We also felt that if we got a better start, it would help us and maybe hinder Swatragh.”
And that quick start was what happened with Shannon Graham off-loading to Louise Dougan for the opening point within 20 seconds.
Although Bronagh McCullagh sped through the centre from the poc out for the equaliser, the next few scores seemed to rock Swatragh; a long clearance from Dougan was picked up by Sinéad Mellon who rushed clear for the opening goal, Dougan added a free and Graham looped around the back to make it 1-3 to 0-1 after seven minutes.
Swatragh’s defence settled however with Shannon Kearney again doing well as a sweeper, but they could not get the sliotar through to the forward line until just after the water break when Gráinne McNicholl started to win ball at half-forward.
Three points in a row made it 1-5 to 0-4 and the Davitt’s suddenly looked in with a chance. But as quickly as hope was built, it was broken just as easily with Dougan’s long clearance again finding Mellon who this time off-loaded to Josie McMullan and Slaughtneil had a second goal and an interval lead of 2-6 to 0-4.
Dougan pointed from right on the side-line in the opening minute of the second half, but the champions only scored once more, from a Céat McEldowney flick that released Shannon Graham for a point in the 38th minute.
Swatragh had narrowed the gap before that score, Shannon Kearney’s long free from close on the side-line deflected to the Slaughtneil net and Bronagh McCullagh excellent solo point. But they were to get no closer.
There were a couple of goal chances at either end during the second half, but at no point did the Martin Mulholland Cup look to be on its way down the road from where it has cosily sat for the past five seasons.
Slaughtneil now set up another provincial showdown with Loughgiel, a game scheduled for early January.
Meanwhile the full programme of Ulster Junior club games scheduled for the weekend was pulled late on Friday evening due to the spike in positive COVID 19 cases and a question mark now hangs over whether or not those competitions will actually be completed this term.
Slaughtneil: Josie McMullan (1-0), Sinead Mellon (1-0), Louise Dougan (0-4, 0-3 frees), Céat McEldowney (0-2 frees), Shannon Graham (0-2).
Swatragh: Shannon Kearney (1-0 free), Mairead McNicholl (0-2 frees), Grainne McNicholl (0-2), Bronagh McCullagh (0-2)
Referee: Eddie Nash (Na Magha)
