Slaughtneil 2-17
Kilcar 0-17
Francis Mooney reports from Healy Park
ULSTER CHAMPIONS SLAUGHTNEIL displayed their best fighting spirit to kill off Kilcar’s brave challenge as they qualified for another provincial final at Healy Park on Saturday night.
Second half goals from Christopher Bradley and Se McGuigan sealed the win for Mickey Moran’s side, who trailed by a point at the break.
But their support play, ball retention and finishing, not to mention an unbreakable spirit, carried them through.
The Derrymen went 0-6 to 0-1 ahead with scores from Christopher Bradley and Cormac O’Doherty, but the Donegal men threw off the shackles and clawed their way back, with Paddy McBrearty once again displaying classy finishing.
He had kicked five points by the time his side eased ahead, to lead by 0-8 to 0-7 at the break, and they had missed two goal chances.
Shane McGuigan and Brian Cassidy fired over Slaughtneil points, which were cancelled out by Paddy McBrearty and Ciaran McGinley as the second half got under way at a searing pace.
It was defender Karl McKaigue who shot Mickey Moran’s side back in front as they pressed forward in numbers. Older brother Chrissy also charged through from deep to land an inspirational point, pushing his side three clear.
And they put daylight between the sides in the 42nd minute when Se McGuigan blasted the ball into the roof of the net.
Now with a six point lead, Slaughtneil were happy to starve their opponents of possession with willing running and ball retention. Kilcar did have their chances and had scores from McBrarty, Eoin McHugh and Matthew McClean ease the deficit in the second half.
But the Emmets definitively killed the game off with a second goal, palmed in by McGuigan in the 58th minute meaning they remain on course for a third Ulster Club Senior Football Championship title in four years.
Slaughtneil: A McMullan; P McNeill, B Rogers, K McKaigue (0-1); F McEldowney, C McKaigue (0-1), K Feeney; P Bradley, P Cassidy (0-1); R Bradley, Shane McGuigan (0-3, 1f), M McGrath (0-2); C Bradley (1-5, 0-1f, 0-1 ’45), Se McGuigan (1-0), C O’Doherty (0-2).
Subs: B Cassidy (0-2) for O’Doherty (30+2), B McGuigan for P Bradley (59)
Kilcar: E McGinley; B McGinley (0-1), C McShane, B Shovlin; R McHugh, M Hegarty, P Carr; C McGinley (0-1), M McHugh (0-1); S McBrearty (0-1), E McHugh (0-1), C Doherty; A McClean (0-1), P McBrearty (0-10, 5f), S Shovlin.
Subs: M McClean (0-1) for Shovlin (41), M Sweeney for C McGinley (43), B O’Donnell for McShane (59)
Referee: S Hurson (Tyrone).
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