SLAUGHTNEIL HAVE BECOME the first Derry club to win the Ulster senior hurling title with today’s 2-14 to 1-13 success over Loughgiel Shamrocks seeing them advance to the All-Ireland club semi-final next February against the Leinster champions.
Slaughtneil claimed aa brilliant win at the Athletic Grounds in Armagh this afternoon and atoned for their 2013 and 2015 final losses at the same stage in Ulster.
Three years ago they lost by five points to Loughgiel Shamrocks in the decider before being defeated after extra-time by Cushendall last year.
But those disappointments were erased with Slaughtneil’s historic victory today.
Their success is all the more impressive considering that they won the Derry senior football title last Sunday, completing three-in-a-row at that level.
After reaching the All-Ireland club football final last year, they face Fermanagh’s Derrygonnelly Harps at the quarter-final stage in Ulster next Sunday.
Slaughtneil got off to a terrific start with goals from Cormac O’Doherty and Brendan Rogers putting them in front 2-3 to 0-0 after 10 minutes. Loughgiel fought back but by half-time they still trailed by seven points, 2-8 to 0-7.
A Joey Scullion goal for Loughgiel cut the deficit they faced to 2-11 to 1-9 with 14 minutes left. But Slaughtneil closed out the game in style with O’Doherty, who finished with 1-9, and Chrissy McKaigue, who struck 0-3, both to the fore.
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