Slaughtneil and Dunloy will face off in the Ulster club SHC final after accounting for Middletown and Ballycran respectively in today's semi-final double-header at the Athletic Grounds.

In the first game, 2016 and '17 winners Slaughtneil coasted to a 1-17 to 0-8 victory over Armagh champions Middletown.

Cormac O’Doherty shot seven points in the first quarter to help the seven-in-a-row Derry kingpins to a 0-8 to 0-1 lead. Se McGuigan scored the game’s only goal in the 25th minute to give Slaughtneil a 1-9 to 0-5 interval lead, with David Carvill accounting for Middletown’s entire first half tally.

Points from Brian Cassidy, Brendan Rodgers and Gerald Bradley extended the winners’ advantage after the restart and the game was already over as a contest when Middletown lost free-taker Carvill to a second yellow card in the 50th minute.

Dunloy, who recently got their hands on the Volunteer Cup after a 10-year lapse, also had things very much their own way against Ballycran in the second part of the double-bill. The Antrim champions ran out 2-23 to 0-11 winners to leave themselves just 60 minutes away from an 11th Ulster title success.

They had opened up a 0-5 to 0-2 lead before Conal Cunning's shot was deflected to the net in the 10th minute. Conor Woods scored five first half points for Ballycran, but the Down standard-bearers still trailed by 0-7 to 1-11 at the break.

Dunloy kicked on the second half with points from Nigel Elliott, Cunning and Nicky McKeague before Anton McGrath applied the coup de grace with a late goal.

Slaughtneil - M McEldowney; Shane McGuigan M McEldowney, K McKaigue; S O'Caside, S Cassidy, M McGrath; G Bradley (0-1), C McKaigue (0-1); J McGuigan, C O'Doherty (0-11, 9f), M McGuigan; B Rodgers (0-2); Se McGuigan (1-0), B Cassidy (0-2). Subs: C McAllister for C McKaigue, C McAllister for M McEldowney, C McKenna for J McGuigan, G O'Kane for Se McGuigan, P Kearney for M McGrath.

Middletown - F Woods; O Curry, T Nevin, P Lappin; L Woods, S Gaffney, P Hughes; P McBride, K McKernan; D Gaffney, N Curry, D Carvill (0-8, 7f); M Moan, M Maguire, R Gaffney. Subs: M McClatchey for R Gaffney, C Carvill for N Curry, M McClatchey for M Maguire, C McCann for M Moan, S Og McGuinness for D Gaffney.

Referee - C McDonald.

**

Dunloy - R Elliott; K Molloy, C McKinley, P Duffin; R McGarry (0-1), E Smyth (0-1), K McKeague; C Kinsella, P Shiels (0-2); C Brogan (0-1), N McKeague (0-3), N Elliott (0-4); K Molloy (0-3), C Cunning (1-7, 0-5f, 0-1'65), E O'Neill (0-1). Subs: S Elliott for N Elliott, G McTaggart for C Brogan, S Elliott for E O'Neill, R Molloy for K Molloy, A McGrath (1-0) for C Cunning, J McKeague for P Shields.

Ballycran - S Keith; M Hughes, S Ennis, G Hughes; B Nicholson, P Hughes, P Flynn; S Nicholson, P Savage; M Ennis, C Woods (0-6, 4f), L Savage (0-5); C Egan, C McManus, S Martin. Subs: J Coyle for C McManus, B Ennis for S Martin, C McAllister for S Nicholson, N Breen for C Egan.

Referee - J Clarke.

 

Tweet

Most Read Stories