THE SLAUGHTNEIL HURLERS and footballers are in for quite the hectic Christmas schedule as they prepare for All-Ireland semi-finals in both codes in the new year.
Not that they’ll mind too much. The remarkable Robert Emmet’s club completed a historic treble yesterday, by adding the Ulster football title to the hurling and camogie crowns they’ve already secured in the past month.
Over half of the football team who defeated Kilcoo yesterday were part of the side who became the first Derry club to win the provincial hurling championship.
It’s remarkable achievement for the rural club. Dual star Chrissy McKaigue was full of praise for his teammates after their 0-12 to 0-9 victory.
“It’s impossible to sum up,” McKaigue told RTE Radio 1 after the game. “It’s pure relief because it’s very difficult to get back to this scenario again so you want to make it count.
“It’s testament to the playing group, to who we are as people. We have put in a lot of work and we’ve been through a lot of adversity.
“People now are always talking about winning, but this team and a lot of the older hands have had a lot of bumps on the road,” he added. “Our young players don’t know what losing is like.”
Five points from teenage attacker Shane McGuigan wrapped up Slaughtneil’s second Ulster football title in three years.
They survived a stern test from Kilcoo in the second-half and goalkeeper Antoin McMullan made a vital save in the 56th minute.
“Your true test is always through adversity and challenge,” continued McKaigue. “We faced adversity in the second half again, but in typical Slaughtneil fashion we pulled through.
“It’s very difficult, but achievable with common sense. We’re very player-driven. If the players feel something, they talk to management.
“To be able to talk openly is a big thing and we’re able to do that at this club.
“You get an extra boost when you have the Slaughtneil crest on you because we are very aware what our club and our community and our people are about.
“We take great pride when we go out to represent the generations that went out before us. Our legacy is to inspire the next generation.”
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