Slaughtneil will advance to the Ulster Club Final after an impressive victory over Kilcar, two vital second-half goals proved to be the winning of the match.
Kilcar 0-17 2-17 Slaughtneil
The game started brightly with both team sharing scores in the first two minutes. A Christopher Bradley forty-five put Slaughtneil a point ahead soon after.
A fine bit of work from Paddy McBrearty saw the Kilcar man break down on goal, but his effort was excellently saved by Slaughtneil goal-keeper Antoin McMullan. But two quick free-kicks put Slaughtneil into a three-point lead, With the Derry side playing quick, direct football.
Christopher Bradley and Meehaul McGrath added fine points with some fluid football, but McBrearty knocked over three quick-fire points off his left-peg to pull back Slaughtneil’s lead. An excellent block from Christopher McKaigue prevented Conor Doherty from scoring what looked to be a certain goal.
Kilcar began to take control of the game in the middle sector, a fine Andrew McLean point reduced Slaughtneil’s lead to just the single point. Cormac O’Doherty scored a fine effort for Slaughtneil, but Conor Doherty replied for Kilcar within a minute. Slaughtneil lost the influential O’Doherty just before half-time through injury.
Two quick points from Mark McHugh and Paddy McBrearty meant that despite Slaughtneil’s impressive start, the Donegal side would go into the break in the lead.
Slaughtneil registered the first point of the second half, but Paddy McBrearty replied emphatically, scoring a monster free-kick from outside the forty-five. The teams traded scores once more, but points from Shane McGuigan and Karl McKaigue put the Derry side back into the lead.
Much like the first-half, Slaughtneil started well and raced into a three-point lead after ten minutes of the second. Se McGuigan then dealt a killer blow to Kilcar’s hopes, excellently finishing a well-worked Slaughtneil move to hit the back of the net.
The next point would be crucial and it was Kilcar who got it with Barry McGinley driving forward to reduce the deficit to five. The sides traded scores once more, but two Christopher Bradley points increased Slaughtneil’s lead again.
Paddy McBrearty was key to everything that Kilcar were doing. A point from him, plus one off Andrew McClean meant Kilcar reduced the deficit to five points with just five minutes to go. A sublime Antoin McMullan save denied the adventurous Barry McGinley, but Eoin McHugh did manage to add on a point.
The impressive Christopher Bradley put the game to bed on the 58th minute, palming the ball into the net after another well-worked team move. Paddy McBrearty added on two points for Kilcar, but it wouldn’t be enough as Slaughtneil advance to the Ulster Club Final.
Eamonn McGinley, Barry McGinley (0-1), Conor McShane (Brian O’Donnell, 60), Pauric Carr, Ryan McHugh, Micheal Hegarty, Barry Shovlin, Ciaran McGinley (0-1), Mark McHugh (0-1), Stephen McBrearty, Eoin McHugh (0-1), Conor Doherty (0-1), Stephen Shovlin, Patrick McBrearty (0-10 4f), Andrew McClean (0-2).
Slaughtneil: Antoin McMullan, Paul McNeill, Brendan Rogers, Karl McKaigue (0-1), Francis McEldowney, Christopher McKaigue (0-1), Keelan Feeney, Patsy Bradley (0-1) (Barry McGuigan, 59), Padraig Cassidy (0-1), Shane McGuigan(0-3 1f), Ronan Bradley (0-1 1f), Meehaul McGrath (0-2), Cormac O’Doherty (0-2) (Brian Cassidy, 34 0-2), Se McGuigan (1-0), Christopher Bradley (1-5 1f 1’45).
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