Slaughtneil finally have measure of Cushendall after extra-time Ulster epic

The Derry champs thought they had won it in normal time before another late Neil McManus rescue act

Eamon Cassidy of Slaughtneill celebrates scoring a goal. Pic: ©INPHO/Andrew Paton

AIB Ulster Club SHC semi-final (AET) Slaughtneil 1-36 Cushendall 3-26 

IT took every ounce of energy, resilience, skill and desire, but Slauhgtneil came through in a game for the ages after extra-time in Armagh on Saturday to finally get over the line against Cushendall on the provincil stage.

Last year, the Antrrim champions had their number in the final, but the Derry men exacted their revenge in a game that will live long in the memory with both fighting tooth and nail in an epic battle under the floodlights.

Both sides had 11 different scorers with Slaughtneil's Brendan Rogers getting into a flow at key stages, Jack Cassidy in fine form, while Cormac O'Doherty found his range after a difficult spell in the second period.

They thought they had it won in normal time, but up stepped Neil McManus to find a goal with the last act - just as he did at the same stage last year against Portaferry - to force extra-time, but this time the Ruairí Óg men couldn't carry the momentum with them as Slaughtneil found the answers.

The Derry champions flew out of the traps with the opening three scores through Shea Cassidy, Sé McGuigan and Ruairí Ó Mianáin.

Neil McManus carried the fight for Cushendall in the opening half with 1-7 on the board by the break and he got them off the mark but Slaughneil cracked off the next four with Jack Cassidy grabbing two of his five in the opening period.

Cushendall grew into it with the next four, but Slaughneil responded in kind with an inspirational effort from Brendan Rogers the pick as they refused to show signs of dropping off after their flying start and again led by six.

But McManus was popping up everywhere and grabbed a goal his side needed when his strength got him onto a dropping ball that broke around the square and he finished well before adding a point seconds later.

But Slaughtneil again had an answer as Meehaul McGrath broke forward and although it seemed he ran out of road, Cushendall defenders Liam Gillan and Ruairi McCollam collided with McGrath gathering and slipping to Eamon cassidy to blast home.

Neil McManus of Ruairí Óg celebrates after scoring a goal. Pic: ©INPHO/Andrew Paton

It was score-for-score heading into the final minutes with the Antrim side scoring the odd one in seven, but Slaughtneil took a deserved 1-16 to 1-12 lead into the break after a breathtaking opening half.

There was no let-up after the break with Fred McCurry pointing nine seconds in and they were level as McManus grabbed his second goal when getting onto the end of a dropping Scott Walsh ball.

Sean McAfee helped them into the lead for the first time as the sides started to slug it out again - it was level heading down the stretch.

Slaughtneil appeared to break for home with four scores on the spin having spurned a number of chances.

A McManus free left one in it and then with their final chance, Slaughtneil appeared to have cleared a floated 65 but McManus got another go and he let fly from outside the D, the ball going through a ruck of bodies and taking a deflection as it ended up in the net to send the game to extra-time - 3-21 to 1-27.

It could have been a crushing blow for Slaughtneil as it was for Portaferry who suffered the same fate against Cushendall one year previous, but they took a two-point lead into the turn of ends with Ó Mináin and O'Doherty hitting two apiece. This time they finished the job with four of the five points in the second period including Rogers' seventh to see the Derry men through.

Scorers for Slaughtneil: B Rogers 0-7, J Cassidy 0-6, C O'Doherty 0-6 (2f), E Cassidy 1-1, M McGuigan 0-3, R Ó Mianáin 0-3, S Cassidy 0-2, Sé McGuigan 0-2, C Coyle 0-2, F McEldowney 0-1, C McAllister 0-1, M McGrath 0-1, G Bradley 0-1 

Scorers for Cushendall: N McManus 3-9 (0-1f, 0-2 65s), F McCambridge 0-3, E Campbell 0-2, F McCurry 0-2, R McAteer 0-2, R McCambridge 0-1, E McQuillan 0-1, S Walsh 0-1, P Burke 0-1, S McAfee 0-1, J McLaughlin 0-1, R McCollam 0-1 

SLAUGHTNEIL: Oisin O'Doherty; Finn McEldowney, Paul McNeill, Conor McAllister; Ruairí Ó Mianáin, Conor Coyle, Shane McGuigan; Jack Cassidy, Meehaul McGrath; Mark McGuigan, Sé McGuigan, Cormac O'Doherty; Eamon Cassidy, Brendan Rogers, Shéa Cassidy 

Subs: Gerald Bradley for Sé McGuigan (52) ET subs: Sean Cassidy for C McAllister (10), Cathal McKaigue for M McGuigan (13) 

CUSHENDALL: Conor McAlister; Liam Gillan, Paddy Burke, Martin Burke; Scott Walsh, Eoghan Campbell, Ruairi McCollam; Fred McCurry, Ryan McCambridge; Ronan McAteer, Neil McManus, Fergus McCambridge; Ed McQuillan, Sean McAfee, Joseph McLaughlin.

Subs: Paddy McGill for S McAfee (44), Charlie McAuley for R McAteer (48), Alex Delargy for J McLaughlin (53), Dominic Delargy for E McQuillan (60), Christy McNaughton for F McCurry (60+2) ET subs: Andrew Delargy for C McNaughton (start), J McLaughlin for P McGill (7), R McAteer for S Walsh (8), Christy McNaughton for L Gillan (14) 

Referee: Peter Owens (Down)