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Winning

Slaughtneil complete Ulster 'double treble' as Cavan's wait for provincial success goes on

It’s a third Ulster title in four years for the Derry champions.

Slaughtneil 1-15

Cavan Gaels 0-10

Orla Bannon reports from Armagh Athletic Grounds

SLAUGHTNEIL CLAIMED ANOTHER victim as their incredible run of success continued in style at the Athletic Grounds.

The Derry champions won a third AIB Ulster SFC title in four years, and in doing so completed an unprecedented ‘double treble’ of back-to-back Ulster hurling, camogie and football titles for this trophy-laded club.

Cavan Gaels, in the provincial decider for the first time in 40 years, only trailed by 0-7 to 0-4 at the break but Shane McGuigan’s goal was the key score in the unanswered 1-3 they hit in seven minutes after half time.

After that, Slaughtneil used all their experience to calmly shut the game down. They’ll next play Munster champions Nemo Rangers in the All-Ireland semi-finals.

The win was as routine as the scoreline suggests, though their wastefulness in the opening half threatened to derail them slightly.

Ronan Bradley missed an easy goal chance and simple point opportunties were also squandered.

Despite all that, they still led 0-6 to 0-1 after 26 minutes including three points in a row from Shane McGuigan through a free and points from play off either foot.

Christopher Bradley and Ronan Bradley also hit points to stretch their lead.

Cavan, massive underdogs coming into the game, started slowly and Martin Dunne’s ’45′, after Anton McMullan blocked Paul O’Connor’s low shot, was their only score for most of the opening half.

They rallied slightly before the interval with three of the last four scores.

Seanie Johnston hit a free off his weaker left foot and Dunne hit their first from play in the game in the 29th minute.

Stephen Murray’s point on the run left them trailing by a very manageable three points at half time.

Slaughtneil have made a name for themselves as a moving, third-quarter team and so it proved again and within a devastating seven-minute spell after the break completely put the game to bed.

Chrissy and Karl McKaigue and Brendan Rogers took turns at surging forward from the back and their markers weren’t able to track their runs.

Chrissy McKaigue showed great leadership to settle any half-time concerns with a second minute point.

Brian Cassidy and Ronan Bradley tagged on further points before a brilliant run from Rogers teed up Shane McGuigan for the only goal of the game.

He gathered Rogers’ pass and charged for the near post, slotting the ball low past Ciaran Flynn in the 37th minute.

From six attacks, Slaughtneil had bagged 1-3 which was a more higher conversion rate than the opening half.

Cavan Gaels were unbeaten all season in league and championship up until this point and tried to find a route back into the game.

They briefly managed it with four points in a row, two Johnston frees plus points from Dunne and Niall Smith.

A loose pass, however, halted their momentum as they chased a fifth in succession.
On the counter-attack Slaughtneil went down the field and scored through their in-form forward Shane McGuigan, a left-footed beauty that was possibly his best of the day.

It completely took the wind out of Cavan’s sails and although Niall Murray got a point straight after in the 47th minute, they only managed one more point for the rest of the game as Slaughtneil coasted home.

Scorers for Slaughtneil – Shane McGuigan 1-6 (2f), C Bradley 0-3 (1f), R Bradley, B Cassidy 0-2 each, C McKaigue, Se McGuigan 0-1 each

Scorers for Cavan Gaels – M Dunne 0-4, S Johnston 0-3 (3f), N Murray, S Murray, N Smith 0-1 each

Slaughtneil

1 Antoin McMullan

2 Paul McNeill
4 Karl McKaigue
3 Brendan Rogers

5 Francis McEldowney
6 Chrissy McKaigue
7 Keelan Feeney

8 Patsy Bradley
9 Padraig Cassidy

10 Ronan Bradley
11 Shane McGuigan
12 Gerald Bradley

13 Christopher Bradley
14 Se McGuigan
15 Brian Cassidy

Subs
Barry McGuigan for G Bradley (49)
Peadar Kearney for McEldowney (52, black-card)
Padraig McGuigan for R Bradley (57)

Cavan Gaels

1 Ciaran Flynn

2 Luke Fortune
3 Niall Murray
4 Kevin Meehan

5 Stephen Murray
6 Barry Fortune
17 Darragh Sexton

8 Paul Graham
9 Robert Mloney-Derham

10 Niall Smith
7 Levi Murphy
11 Micheal Lyng

13 Paul O’Connor
14 Seanie Johnston
15 Martin Dunne

Subs:
Declan Meehan for P Graham (ht)

Referee: Ciaran Branagan (Down)

The42 has just published its first book, Behind The Lines, a collection of some of the year’s best sports stories. Pick up your copy in Eason’s, or order it here today (€10):

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