Repeat how Dunloy sealed the Ulster Club Hurling title with a narrow win over Slaughtneil

Ulster Club SHC Final: Dunloy (Antrim) 2-12 Slaughtneil (Derry) 0-16)

Dunloy ended Slaughtneil’s tenure as Ulster Hurling Champions after a hard-fought two-point victory in a pulsating provincial final on Sunday afternoon at the Athletic Grounds.

Two first-half goals for the Antrim champions proved decisive for Gregory O’Kane’s men, and they held off a furious fightback from the defending champions to win the Four Seasons Cup for the first time since 2009.

Their victory was bolstered by the fact that they have suffered a hat-trick of losses to the Derry men in recent seasons, including the 2019 Ulster final.

“We are delighted. Great to cross the finish line in an Ulster final,” said Dunloy boss Gregory O’Kane.

“It was a game to win and it had to be Slaughtneil. In 2019 Slaughtneil beat us in an Ulster final. I think we finished the game with about eight U21s. Two of them were under 20 and that was the biggest part of your team. This team needs to develop.

“Today we were able to beat Slaughtneil physically and then the swinging took over.”

Indeed, Kevin Molloy set the tone, dropping Shéa Cassidy with a hair-shoulder fight in the first few minutes. It was the kind of hit that Diarmuid O’Sullivan or Neil McGee would have been proud of.

Conal Cunning was in brilliant form in the first half, scoring 0-5, including three brilliant points from the game, but the two goals were key for the Cuchullains.

Aaron Crawford’s shot appeared to miss the target after 10 minutes. With Nigel Elliott lurking, Slaughtneil keeper Oisin O’Doherty got an unfortunate touch from the sliotar and sent it into his own goal.

Dunloy’s second major was decisively ended by Elliott early in the half as the North Antrim side led 2-6, 0-7 at the break.

Midway through the second half Slaughtneil pulled the game forward with Shane McGuigan and Gerard Bradley but they could not lift their noses and points from substitutes Nicky McKeague and Decky Smith helped Dunloy regain the Ulster title.

DUNLOY: R. Elliott; P Duffin, R McGarry, O Quinn; A Crawford (0-1), Kevin Molloy, E Smyth; C Kinsella, E McFerran; R Molloy, A McGrath (0-1), N Elliott (1-1); Keelan Molloy, C Cunning (0-7, 0-3fs), S Elliott.

Subs: D Smith (0-1) for S Elliott (40), N McKeague (0-1) for McGrath (50), P Shiels for Kinsella (53).

STRIKE: O O’Doherty (1:0 OG); P McNeil, K McKaigue, C McAllister; J McGuigan (0-1), C McKaigue (0-1), M McGrath; Shane McGuigan (0-2), CO’Doherty (0-5, 0-4fs, 0-1 65); McCullagh P., Cassidy B. (0-1), Mianáin RO; B Rogers (0-2), G Bradley (0-3), Shea Cassidy (0-1).

Sub: Say McGuigan for McCullagh (40).

Referee: P Owens (below)

Here’s a recap of Sunday’s Ulster Club SHC final. . .