AIB Ulster Senior Champions – Slaughtneil

AIB Camogie All Ireland Club Championships – Ulster senior Final
Slaughtneil Emmett’s (Derry) 2-11 Loughgiel Shamrocks (Antrim) 3-5

The first time that All-Ireland champions Slaughtneil were in front of Loughgiel Shamrocks in this intense exciting NWP Ulster senior club camogie final was in the 57th minutes when Therese Mellon bundled the sliotar over the line. Two early goals from Racquel Murphy certainly put it up to the holders and then when substitute Roisin McCormick flicked home their third goal to put Loughgiel 3-5 to 0-11 ahead after 51 minutes it seemed that the champions were going to lose their crown. Joint captain Aoife Ní Chaiside believed that the composure and character of the team came through during this game. “Loughgiel came at us at the start and we didn’t settle until after those two early goals went in. It was really tough and we worked really hard to get back into the game before half time. Eilís (Ní Chaiside) and Louise (Dougan) took a lot of pressure of our defence in the first half.” “One thing we have in this team is composure and we knew there was plenty of time to get back into it. Even after the third goal, we still had time and the fresh legs gave us a lift near the end.”Offaly native Tina Hannon transferred to Slaughtneil in April and made a huge impact during this final to finish with 10 points divided equally between play and frees.

“That was some game. The girls had talked about the intensity that we would get from Loughgiel and we needed to dig very deep out there particularly during the first half. This is brilliant.”
Team manager Damian McEldowney also hailed the composure of the team and the brilliance of the new recruit. “At the start of the season, it was mentioned that we were All-Ireland champions. The girls decided not to mention that again. This is a new season, a new challenge and while what we achieved last year is bound to give us confidence, we still have to work our ways through games and today we did that. “Tina contributed well – and she has been doing this all year. Yeah we will be working away now for the next challenge.”

But what a challenge the Antrim champions put to them yesterday.The Shamrocks defence time and again in the opening half attacked ball and put Slaughtneil on the back foot with Racquel Murphy a real handful at full-forward. Racquel posted two frees in the opening five minutes before Emma McMullan brilliantly caught a high ball and her handpass put Racquel in the clear to hit the net.
Although Tina Hannon responded with a point, Lucia McNaughton’s great run down the left wing resulted in a great catch and a second goal for Murphy after nine minutes. From then until the break, Slaughtneil’s defence dug in and eventually the attack created the openings for a series of Hannon points to close the gap to a single point going into the break. However Murphy fired over from a long way out on the right wing and a 2-3 to 0-7 lead at the break.

During the third quarter the teams were level on a couple of occasions, but each time Loughgiel pushed on with points from Aisling McFadden and
Racquel Murphy, while Megan Coyles continued to keep a clean sheet at the back with several excellent saves. Then in the 51st minute a long free from Racquel Murphy dropped around the goal line and sub Roisin McCormick flicked it home for Loughgiel to lead 3-5 to 0-11. Slaughtneil kept up the pressure and eventually a good move started by Aoife Ní Chaiside transferring possession to Tina Hannon resulted in an off-load to sub Shannon Graham inside the area and a penalty was signalled. Louise Dougan flashed it low to the net and a few minutes later Sinead Mellon got a straight run through. Her batted effort was fumbled by Megan Coyles under pressure and Therese Mellon forced it home. Not a bad time to go ahead and the champions held out at the back over the remaining few minutes to trigger the usual exuberant celebrations we have become accustomed to from the club at the foot of Carntogher.

Slaughtneil : J Bradley, B McAllister, B Ní Chaiside, Dervlagh McGuigan,
G Ní Chatháin, A Ní Chaiside, C McGrath, Denise McGuigan, L Dougan 1-0 pen, E Ní Chaiside, T Hannon 0-1, 0-3 45s, 0-2 frees, S McKaigue, S Mellon, J McMullan, T Mellon 1-1
Subs : S Graham for J McMullan (41), C McEldowney for S McKaigue (53).

Loughgiel : M Coyle, A Connolly, L Connolly, C Boyle, F McVeigh, E McFadden capt, M Connolly, C Laverty, A Boyle, C Dobbin, C Higgins, L McNaughton, A McFadden 0-1, R Murphy 2-4, 0-3 frees, E McMullan 1-1.

Sub : Ú McNaughton for C Higgins (40), R McCormick 1-0 for E McMullan (40).

Referee : Philip McDonald (Cavan)