Karl McKaigue: Slaughtneil won’t mind a tight finish, they’ve seen it all before

A tight finish to this afternoon’s AIB All-Ireland Club SFC final will suit Slaughtneil perfectly, claims star defender Karl McKaigue.

The Derry and Ulster champions have come from nowhere to contest the decider against Corofin, a fairytale run laced with late drama. They beat Omagh St Enda’s by a point in the Ulster final, followed by another one-point win over Austin Stacks in the All-Ireland semi-final.

Throw in an injury-time goal to defeat Ballinderry in a contentious Derry final and there is a growing sense of conviction in the Sperrins Slaughtneil can’t be beaten – not this year, at least. “It has been dodgy at times and we have had the rub of the green in a few games, but it is good for character when you are consistently coming out of games with a one or two point win,” admitted McKaigue.