Peter Canavan refused to blame Seanie Johnston after his missed injury-time free cost Cavan Gaels dearly against Slaughtneil.

The Gaels were trailing by point when the former Kildare and Cavan forward - who scored 0-6 - missed the chance to force extra-time, with Gerald Bradley going straight down the field and kicking the insurance point for the mightly relieved Derry champions.

"Seanie would normally put them over," Gaels manager Canavan noted in the Irish News.

"His free-taking for us over the last two games has been excellent and it was excellent today, bar one.

"But, look, there were other chances too that we didn't put away and we had a couple of possible goal chances as well. So I'll not dwell on that one chance."

Slaughtneil assistant manager John Joe Kearney admitted he was resigned to extra-time as Johnston stepped up to take the crucial free.

"I never thought he would miss it," he said.

"I think a lot of free-takers make the mistake of hitting this big high ball. It was slightly right-sided for him and, thankfully, it didn't go over."

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