Slaughtneil get brief respite from a fairytale journey

Chrissy McKaigue doesn’t need to apologise for being physically and mentally jaded. He has, he admits, little interest in talking any more about Gaelic games and that’s entirely reasonable.

A key member of both Slaughtneil teams — he’s captain of the hurlers — it’s been a historic if punishing few months which has seen the south-Derry club claim senior county and Ulster titles in both codes.

The camogie team won Ulster too and McKaigue’s need to simply sit back, rest and soak it all in now is probably replicated across all three panels.