Ulster club SHC: 'Dall and Slaughtneil can't be separated

October 12, 2014

Cushendall (Antrim)3-17
Slaughtneil (Derry) 0-26
(After extra-time)

Extra-time failed to separate Cushendall and Slaughtneil in a thrilling Ulster club SHC semi-final played before a crowd of 3,159 at Owenbeg.

Down champions Portaferry, who defeated Lisbellaw of Fermanagh by 2-17 to 1-11 in the other semi-final at Clones, will have to wait another week to find out who their final opponents will be after a titanic battle between the Antrim and Derry kingpins.

Favourites Cushendall led by 2-9 to 0-8 at half-time thanks to early goals from Donal McNaughton and Aidan McNaughton. Neil McManus and Eoghan Campbell added two points each to leave seven between the sides at the break.

Slaughtneil resumed by scoring five of the next six points before Shane McNaughton's goal gave Cushendall a 3-10 to 0-13 cushion midway through the second half. But McNaughton was then sent off on a second yellow card and Slaughtneil fought back to take the lead with a Gerard O'Kane point before Neil McManus forced extra-time from a free.

The score at full-time was 3-12 to 0-21.

With Gerald Bradley, O'Kane and Brendan Rogers in fine scoring form, Slaughtneil led by 0-24 to 3-14 after the first period of extra-time. But Cushendall outscored them by 0-3 to 0-2 in the second period to earn another bite at the cherry.

Cushendall - E Gillan; R McCambridge, M Burke, A Graffin; P McNaughton (0-1), P Burke, C McAllister; N McManus (0-9, 6f, 1'65), E Campbell (0-3); S McAfee, C Carson (0-2), P McGill; A McNaughton (1-0), D McNaughton (1-0), C McNaughton (0-1). Subs: S McNaughton (1-1) for S McAfee, A Delargy for E Campbell, E Laverty for D McNaughton, S McAfee for E Campbell, D Kearney for C McAllister.

Slaughtneil - E McGuigan; P Kearney, S Cassidy, B Og Corbett; K McKaigue, C McKenna (0-1f), J Mulholland; G Bradley (0-3), C McKaigue (0-6, 1f); G O'Kane (0-7, 5f), M McGuigan, S McGuigan (0-3); D Kearney, C O'Doherty (0-1f), B Rogers (0-4). Subs: M Kearney (0-1) for D Kearney, S Logue for G O'Kane, C Kearney for Corbett, O O'Doherty for M McGuigan.

Referee - J Clarke.


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