Gaelic Games

Slaughtneil power home to dash Portaferry’s hopes of Ulster hurling glory

Se McGuigan and Shea Cassidy scored two goals in two minutes as Derry champions secured comeback win

Slaughtneil players and supporters celebrate after the victory over Portaferry in the AIB Ulster SHC Final at the Athletic Grounds in Armagh. Photograph: Inpho
Slaughtneil players and supporters celebrate after the victory over Portaferry in the AIB Ulster SHC Final at the Athletic Grounds in Armagh. Photograph: Inpho
Francis Mooney at the Athletic Grounds
Sun Dec 01 2024 - 20:00
Ulster Club SHC final: Slaughtneil (Derry) 2-19 Portaferry (Down) 1-19

Slaughtneil produced a devastating late burst of power and clinical finishing to overturn an eight-points deficit and claim the glory in a whirlwind finish to the Ulster Club SHC final at the Athletic Grounds.

Se McGuigan and Shea Cassidy fired in two goals in as many minutes to spark a ruthless finish from a team hurting from defeat in the last two deciders.

It looked like this could be the day for the Down men to add to their only previous provincial success in 2014 when they imposed themselves on the contest for 45 minutes.

But they were unable to react to an increase in intensity from the Derry champions as they reached for the Four Seasons Cup and an All-Ireland semi-final date with Sarsfields of Cork.

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Portaferry were very much on song in the early stages, racing into a 0-6 to 0-1 lead inside 10 minutes, with Tom McGrattan striking sweetly from frees and the pace of Niall Fitzsimmons and Daithí Sands causing problems.

The Oak Leaf side pulled back scores through Jack Cassidy, Cormac O’Doherty and Brendan Rogers, but their opponents sent over a string of long -range scores, with Matthew Conlan, Finn Turpin and McGrattan on target.

At the break, Portaferry led by 0-13 to 0-6, and while Slaughtneil trimmed back a handful of scores through O’Doherty’s accurate striking from placed balls, there was still no sign of danger to the Down side’s title challenge.

Shea Cassidy celebrates after he scored Slaughtneil's second goal. Photograph: Inpho
Shea Cassidy celebrates after he scored Slaughtneil's second goal. Photograph: Inpho

But with wing backs Shane McGuigan and Ruairí Ó Mianáin playing pivotal roles, Slaughtneil stepped up the intensity, and two goals in the space of 90 seconds, from Se McGuigan and Cassidy, turned the game completely.

They added a string of scores to go level through O’Doherty, with two massive frees, before Shane McGuigan gave them the lead for the first time on 53 minutes.

But another twist saw substitute Cathal Coleman fire in a Portaferry goal after a McGrattan free was deflected into his path by a defender.

Slaughtneil’s will was unbroken by the setback, and they rattled over the final five points of the game, including two magnificent long-range efforts from Ó Mianáin, with Jack Cassidy, Brendan Rogers and O’Doherty also on target

SLAUGHTNEIL: O O’Doherty; F McEldowney, P McNeill, C McAllister; R Ó Mianáin (0-3); C Coyle, Shane McGuigan (0-3); J Cassidy (0-3), M McGrath; M McGuigan, Se McGuigan (2-1), C O’Doherty (0-7, 6f, 1 65); E Cassidy, B Rogers (0-2), S Cassidy.

Sub: G Bradley for S Cassidy (46 mins).

PORTAFERRY: P Smyth; D Mallon, T Murray, R Smyth; B Trainor, C Taggart, C Milligan; M Conlan (0-3), S Conlan; N Fitzsimmons (0-2), F Turpin (0-2), E Sands (0-1); D Sands (0-2), T McGrattan (0-9, 6f, 2 65s) N Milligan.

Subs: C Savage for C Milligan (49 mins), C Coleman (1-0) for N Milligan (49), C Fay for Fitzsimmons (52), P Doran for Trainor (58)

Referee: C Cunning (Antrim).