AIB Ulster Club Senior Hurling Semi Final
Cushendall 3-25 Slaughtneil 1-36
Saturday 16 November
Brendan McTaggart reports from the Box-It Athletic Grounds, Armagh
There are people in this world who don’t know about the beautiful gift of hurling. I think we should all just take a moment and spare a thought for those people and for those who missed what turned out to be an absolute epic game of hurling on Saturday evening. For those who decided to stay and home and watch it on RTE, shame on you…you missed something special.
It took extra time to separate Cushendall and Slaughtneil and in the end it was the Derry men who proved to have that little bit extra when it mattered but my God, what a game of hurling.
I’ve travelled the length and breadth of Ireland for over 11 years doing this in various guises, this was without a doubt, the best game of hurling I’ve ever had the pleasure to cover. Slaughtneil will feel like they had to win this game twice while a Neil McManus inspired Cushendall really don’t know when they are beaten. The former Antrim superstar finished with 3-9 and like 12 months ago against Portaferry, he riffled a free to the back of the net with what was the last action of the hour to force extra time. It felt like the stars were aligning once again for the Ruairi’s as they showed their immense powers of recovery but Slaughtneil weren’t to be denied.
A special mention should go to Peter Owens for his officiating of the game. Credit where it’s due, the whistlers get enough bad press if they don’t get it right but how Owens officiated this game allowed for the spectacle that it became. Consistency is a word that all managers look for from referees, the Liatroim clubman delivered.
The stats for the Slaughtneil men make mighty impressive reading. 13 different scorers and a quite bewildering 1-34 of their final tally coming from open play. All six of their starting forwards were on the scoresheet in the first half yet they had the luxury of hitting 16 wides over the 80 plus minutes of hurling. This was a game that was played at a helter skelter pace, no quarter asked for and none given while there was no shortage of heroes doing what they can for their club, their parish, their families.
Dual star Brendan Rogers would claim the man of the match award and looking back, Rog was at his blistering best. Seven white flags raised and a ball winner, a target man and a player who could run all day at deceptively fast speed. He had plenty of help from the eventual winners with Jack Cassidy putting in an awesome display in midfield, Conor Coyle at the heart of the defence while Fionn McEldowney’s stock in hurling continues to increase and perhaps surpass that with the big ball.
The Ruairi’s had star performers with Paddy and Martin Burke excelling, Eoghan Campbell at his brilliant best at centre half while Ryan McCambridge ran himself into the ground for the ‘Dall. McManus was their main man and dragged his side back from the brink at the end of the hour but he was phenomenal throughout. When you have a man like him in your side, you always have a chance. He’s capable of brilliance, on Saturday evening in Armagh he produced the outrageous.
The Derry champions started the game on the front foot and inside the opening seven minutes, had opened a six point lead. Scores coming from all angles from men in the maroon and white hoops. The ‘Dall were in danger of being blown out of the Ulster championship waters in the opening quarter but they began to find their footing and by the midpoint of the half, the Slaughtneil lead was reduced to two points.
Cushendall moved McManus to the edge of the Slaughtneil square to try and get some sort of momentum in the game. They looked to isolate him and they certainly got joy from that tactic. The lead was stretched to six again with Jack Cassidy in particular in scintillating form in the first half.
With the game entering the 23rd minute and Eoghan Campbell with the sliotar, he looked for options and delivered the ball high to McManus on the edge of the square. The Cushendall man held off the challenge of Paul McNeill and broke the sliotar into his path before pulling first time to the back of Oisin O’Doherty’s net.
It was a massive moment and when McManus added the next score showing the same customary strength and skill, all of Slaughtneil’s good work was in danger of being wiped out in the closing stages. They hit back with a major of their own when Eamon Cassidy finished a brilliant move that saw runs coming from all angles to cut through the Cushendall defence and give Conor McAlister no chance between the sticks.
Four points remained the difference at the interval after a half that was played largely on the terms of Slaughtneil. Cushendall needed a reaction after the restart and they certainly delivered with McManus’ second major. They had already reduced the lead to three points with Fred McCurry and Campbell splitting the uprights either side of another Jack Cassidy score when Scott Walsh sent the sliotar high towards the Slaughtneil goals. In an almost carbon copy of the first goal, McManus broke the sliotar into his own path and finished with aplomb.
They managed to take the lead for the first time in the game in the 38th minute. It felt like a significant moment in the game given how the Ruairi’s started the second half with a definite increase in intensity and aggression while Slaughtneil’s radar was beginning to err.
Going into the final 10 minutes, the sides were tied 2-18 to 1-22 when Slaughtneil seemed to find another level. They outscored Cushendall six points to two when the clock ticked into the last minute of normal time. McManus stood over a free and elected to split the uprights in the hope that they would get one more chance.
Two minutes of injury time were given and Cushendall laid siege on the Slaughtneil goal looking for another major. McManus stood over a ’65 and sent it high to the edge of the square, Slaughtneil partially cleared only for McManus to gather some 40 yards for goal. He sent the sliotar arrowing towards the goals and with a wicked deflection he found the back of the net with what was the last action of the hour.
Having dragged themselves out of championship oblivion, it looked like the stage was set for Cushendall to push on in extra time. It never materialised. Slaughtneil started extra time on top and had a three point advantage inside five minutes with Ruairí Ó Mianáin and Rogers raising white flags.
Cushendall responded with a couple of late scores from Joseph McLaughlin and Ronan McAteer to leave the minimum between the sides while Cormac O’Doherty’s fourth white flag of the game left two between the sides at the interval.
Slaughtneil continued to press and play with huge desire and intensity in the second period of extra time and the introduction of Gerald Bradley adding to their ranks. Further scores from O’Doherty, the brilliant Coyle came either side of a Ronan McCollam point but fittingly it was Rogers who had the final say with a brilliant catch and strike on the half turn almost over his shoulder. Defying physics, gravity and logic to split the uprights.
Cushendall went in pursuit of another goal that would give them a life line but it never materialised. Slaughtneil ran out five point winners and progress to a meeting with Portaferry in two weeks time.
TEAMS
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
Scorers: N McManus 3-9 (3fs 1’65); F McCambridge 0-3; E Campbell 0-2; F McCurry 0-2; R McAteer 0-2; P Burke 0-1; S Walsh 0-1; R McCollam 0-1; R McCambridge 0-1; E McQuillan 0-1; S McAfee 0-1; J McLaughlin 0-1
Slaughtneil: Oisin O’Doherty; Fionn McEldowney, Paul McNeil, Conor McAllister; Ruairí Ó Mianáin, Conor Coyle, Shane McGuigan; Jack Cassidy, Meehaul McGrath; Mark McGuigan, Sé McGuigan, Cormac O’Doherty; Eamon Cassidy, Brendan Rogers, Sheá Cassidy
Scorers: B Rogers 0-7; J Cassidy 0-6; C O’Doherty 0-5 (2fs); M McGuigan 0-4; E Cassidy 1-1; R Ó Mianáin 0-3; S Cassidy 0-3; C Coyle 0-2; F McEldowney 0-1; C McAllister 0-1; M McGrath 0-1; S McGuigan 0-1; Gerald Bradley 0-1
Referee: Peter Owens (Down)
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