Last year’s Ulster finalists Slaughtneil and Loughgiel will meet this evening in Armoy in the semi-final of the annual tournament hosted by the Glen Rovers club, the McAuley Cup. The competition has usually been run as a pre season tournament but the demands of players through the National Hurling League meant that clubs were quite often having to field weakened teams and  were reluctant to field. The move to mid summer has suited everyone and with championship not to far away it is an opportunity to give teams a good work out.

When they met last October in the Ulster final at Armagh Athletic Grounds the Derry champions created history by becoming the first team from the county to win an Ulster Senior Hurling title. The stakes are obviously not as high this time around and the intensity not as great but it should prove and interesting game and just to give Loughgiel a bit of extra incentive….. Dunloy await the winners in the final.