AIB Ulster Senior Hurling Club Championship – Semi Final
Cushendall v Slaughtneil
Date: Saturday 16 November – Throw-in : 7:15pm
Venue: BOX-IT Athletic Grounds, Armagh
Referee: Peter Owens (Liatroim Fontenoys, Down)
Brendan McTaggart looks ahead to Saturday’s Ulster club semi final between Cushendall and Slaughtneil….
Having retained the Volunteer Cup some four weeks ago, Cushendall’s journey continues with the Four Season Cup on their radar. All roads lead to Armagh on Saturday evening as the Ruairi’s begin the defence of their provincial crown against old adversaries, Slaughtneil.
Saturday will be the fifth time these two will have met in the last 10 years with Cushendall coming out on top in each of the previous occasions. The rivalry began in Owenbeg in 2014 when the young upstarts from just outside Maghera pushed the ‘Dall to the pin of their collar and it would take extra time and a replay before Cushendall would progress.
They would meet again some 12 months later in the Athletic Grounds and once again, it took extra time and an epic game of hurling before the Ruairi’s would lift the provincial trophy while last year, they had some four points to spare by the final whistle.
For all the ground that Slaughtneil have broken since lifting their first Ulster club hurling championship in 2016 and mighty performances in the All Ireland series, defeating the men from Cushendall has eluded them. Something that certainly stings a little when having a yarn with some of the natives over the years. The players, off course, would never get drawn into such statements. Like the majority of those who get the short straw and end up in front of the media, they’re too well media trained to show anything that might be construed as a weakness!
The Derry men lifted their 12th county title in succession on 26 October with a much-changed team to recent years. After Ballycastle native Michael McShane stepped away in December 2023 having led Slaughtneil in nine of that 12 in a row, Paul McCormack took the reins. A man who comes from fine dual stock and you would think, the perfect fit for a club who have serious aspirations in both codes. McCormack was part of the Armagh side who won the Sam Maguire in 2002 and captained the Orchard County to Nicky Racard Cup success in 2012. He then took to coaching with Louth where he won two Lory Meaghers in his five years in charge.
In that county final against Banagher, Slaughtneil had the household names that we’re all familiar with in their starting line up. Gerald Bradley, Brendan Rogers, Sheá Cassidy, Cormac and Oisin O’Doherty, Shane and Sé McGuigan but there’s newer stock coming through. Fionn McEldowney is a class act in both codes and having seen him play for both school (St Pat’s, Maghera), club and county (football), he’s a serious athlete but a player who you could line out anywhere and he’ll give you an eight out of 10 performance, at the very minimum. Cathal McKaigue is another who has been promoted from their minor ranks this year while Jack Cassidy and Ruairi O’Mainain will also take some looking after.
The Ruairi’s will start as favourites and with such changes to the Slaughtneil team from recent years, that’s perhaps understandable. The gap since the county final could perhaps go some way to focusing the minds of the Cushendall players and management. Looking back at last weekend, it certainly looked to deter the Cargin challenge against Errigal Ciarán but having dealt with similar already this year between the group phase and semi final in the Antrim championship, this gap is likely to be a positive for the Ruairi’s. A chance to clear up any knocks or niggles that may be lingering from the successful defence of their county crown.
The county final itself was far from a classic. That matters little now but given how Cushendall navigated their defence, it’s fair to say they have improved from 12 months ago. Another year under the tutelage of Brian Delargy and with the experience that comes from provincial success, they have a dogged tenacity, intensity in spades with a sprinkling of brilliance all over the pitch. Natural born leaders in Paddy Burke and Eoghan Campbell before you even look at Neil McManus who needs no further introduction.
Delargy has options in attack with Paddy McGill, Ciaran Neeson, Alex Delargy and Andrew Delargy all coming off the bench against Dunloy. He elected to start Ryan McCambridge in the middle of the park with McManus lining out at 11 but at this stage it’s a much trusted back six in front of Conor McAlister.
Travelling to Armagh on a Saturday evening with a big crowd expected isn’t exactly whetting the appetite. The car park at the school gives me nightmares when I think on it, it is likely to be a late one. It’s not the most ‘family orientated’ throw in time and one that’s definitely been geared towards and to facilitate the RTÉ cameras. It should detract from what promises to be a great game, spectacle and occasion.
It’s just a shame there wasn’t a doubleheader with some of the other Antrim teams that are playing this weekend. A story for another day….
As it is, Cushendall and Slaughtneil lock horns once again in the latest edition of their epic saga. If it’s anything like those contests that have preceded it, we’re in for a treat.
