ULSTER CLUB SENIOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Portaferry 1-19
Slaughtneil 2-19
A REMARKABLE second-half comeback from Slaughtneil saw them overhaul an eight-point deficit to lift the Ulster Club Hurling Championship in Sunday’s decider with Portaferry at the Athletic Grounds.
The now five-time Ulster champions had it all to do after a lightning start from the peninsula men had them in control, but two goals in the space of a minute from Se McGuigan and Shea Cassidy turned the tide in Slaughtneil’s favour and they powered home late in the game.
Portaferry, much the better side throughout, raced in front with Matthew Conlon hitting the first of his three first-half points within seconds, while Eoghan Sands, Tom McGrattan and Niall Fitzsimmons extended the gap before Slaughtneil finally got on the board through Shane McGuigan.
Gerard McGrattan’s men could have been further ahead had it not been for a stunning stop by Slaughtneil goalkeeper Oisin O’Doherty to deny Daithi Sands, though Tom McGrattan’s fifth of the half gave Portaferry a deserved 0-13 to 0-6 interval advantage.
Portaferry remained on top in the second period despite the renewed vigour of their Derry opponents, moving 0-18 to 0-10 ahead with McGrattan accurate from play and frees.
The dramatic turnaround got underway when Se McGuigan cracked home the goal they needed before Shea Cassidy repeated the trick just a minute later.
Although Daiti Sands replied, points from O’Doherty (two) and Jack Cassidy levelled the contest before Shane McGuigan gave Slaughtneil their first lead of the day.
The pendulum swung back Portaferry’s way in the 56th minute when a McGrattan free dropped and broke out to substitute Cathal Coleman to score.
But Slaughtneil were not to be denied as O’Doherty pointed and then two from O Mianain edged them back into the lead, with late scores from Jack Cassidy and Rogers sending them into an All-Ireland semi-final against Sarsfields from Cork.
Crestfallen Portaferry boss McGrattan said: “Two minutes, two goals just changed the game.
“Momentum swung, everything they hit then seemed to go over the bar. That’s the way things go – you have to see it out.
“That’s why they’re a good team, and why they’ve been competing at the top level for so long. But that doesn’t make it any easier for us to take.”
