Ruthless Cuala close in on their own history bid

Slaughtneil 2-11 Cuala 3-21: One dream died and another lives on, with Cuala on the cusp of a first for Dublin hurling after bringing Slaughtneil’s historic treble attempt to a brutal end on Saturday afternoon.

The Derry club, already through to All-Ireland football and camogie deciders, were hoping for an unprecedented hat-trick of final appearances but it proved a bridge too far as Cuala moved closer to becoming the first Dublin club to win an All-Ireland Club SHC title.

Cuala supporters showed their class clapping Slaughtneil’s fatigued dual players off the pitch after they were soundly beaten at the Athletic Grounds. Jubilant winning manager Mattie Kenny acknowledged the magnitude of what Slaughtneil – with 13 of their football team in their ranks – were trying to pull off. But they had no copyright on ambition.