Slaughtneil will take on Kevin Lynch’s in this year’s Derry Senior Hurling Championship final. 

Derry Senior Hurling Championship Semi-Final

Slaughtneil 1-32 Lavey 1-12

From Odhrán Crumley in Owenbeg

Slaughtneil were devastating in their thorough dismantling of Lavey in Sunday’s curtain raiser in Owenbeg.

Lavey threatened to cause the upset taking a four point lead inside the opening ten minutes after Eamon McGill rattled the back of the net, driving through the Slaughtneil rear-guard before hitting the top corner of the net.

Michael McShane’s men as has become customary for sides from that part of the world in all three codes never panicked.

The task at hand never left the forefront of their mind and they chipped away at the lead launched an immediate reply Cormac O’Doherty appeared to have played Gerald Bradley through on goal only for a vital diving interception from Dermot O’Neill.

Chrissy McKaigue was instrumental, as he always is, pulling the strings in the middle of the park, two scores in as many minutes levelled proceedings the equaliser coming from south of 50 yards.

Three poor puck-outs resulted in three scores inside a minute for the men in maroon and white, Gerald Bradley knocking his team into the lead for the first time before Jerome McGuigan and O’Doherty sent them clear in rapid fire fashion.

Fintan Bradley’s landed a free in the 14th minute and that would prove to be his teams last score of the half and in that time they would be outscored 0-11 to 0-1 in that period O’Doherty, Jerome and Shane McGuigan landing scores before Brendan Rogers nailed an effort on the terrace side of the Owenbeg from south of seventy yards.

The reigning county champions taking a commanding lead in at the break on a scoreline of 0-18 to 1-5.

In the second stanza, the rhetoric would remain the same as traffic only moved in one direction.

For twelve minutes in the second half, Slaughtneil would hit 1-9 without reply the usual suspects of O’Doherty and Bradley shooting over before the latter, sending a rocket of an effort into the net.

It’s worth noting that Slaughtneil played the last ten minutes with fourteen men, O’Doherty appearing to pick up a knock left the field with 0-9 to his name but, was not replaced as to keep other panel members eligible for reserve championship this weekend.

Fintan Bradley landed a sideline cut with the result long decided as a fair portion of the team prepare to face Ballinderry in the football championship on Sunday before a County Final date with Kevin Lynch’s in a fortnights time.

Slaughtneil: M McEldowney; K McKaigue, S Cassidy, M McEldowney; S McGuigan (0-2), S Ó Caiside, M McGrath; C McAlister (0-1), C McKaigue (0-4 1f); M McGuigan (0-2), C O’Doherty (0-9 6f), G Bradley (1-5); Sé McGuigan (0-2), J McGuigan (0-4), B Rogers (0-3).

Subs: J McCloskey for M McGrath (56).

Lavey: M Taggart; C Dillon, C Henry, S Lagan; B Laverty, C McGurk, D O’Neill; S Dodds (0-1), E McGill (1-0); C Murphy, J Crawford, F Bradley (0-6 2f); R Farren (0-1), C Henry (0-2), R Mulholland.

Subs: S McGill for C McGurk (23), L Murphy (0-1) for R Mulholland (29), C O’Loan (39), O Waldron (0-1) for J Crawford (49), D McPeake for B Laverty (49)

Referee: B Winters (Tyrone)

Derry Senior Hurling Championship Semi-Final 2019

Kevin Lynch’s 3-14 Ballinascreen 1-12

From Odhrán Crumley in Owenbeg

Kevin Lynch’s have setup a mouth-watering county final clash with Slaughtneil after a late rally eventually saw off a brave Ballinascreen battle.

Their appearance in the county decider in a fortnight’s time will be their first since their loss to Slaughtneil in 2014, each year since then Robert Emmett’s have claimed the title.

This one was supposed to be straight forward if the bookies odds were to be believed but, what unfolded was anything but.

Neither side could fully edge in front in a nip and tuck opening stanza with Corey O’Reilly leading the Lynch’s charge with Paul Cleary as always the protagonist for ‘Screen.

The North Derry men led by two at the break on a scoreline of 0-7 to 0-5 and the opening exchanges of the second half Niall Ferris and Noel Rafferty traded scores before Tiernan McHugh, and O’Reilly extended the lead to four.

In the 43rd minute, Ballinascreen made the point that they were not finished yet.

John McCloskey’s high ball was flicked into the net by Reece McSorley and over the head of Brian Lagan.

With their tails up, Aaron Kelly rose highest to claim the restart before dispatching over the bar.

Question were asked of Lynch’s and it was two men new to the fold that came up with the good.

McHugh issued a ball straight out of the top drawer flicking over his head and into the path of Richie Mullan, like both were on the same telepathic wave.

Mullan didn’t need to be asked for a second time as his volleyed effort cannoned into the top right corner of the net.

If youth had done their bit, the experience held their end of the bargain as Mark Craig extended the lead to four as Kevin Hinphey entered the fold to sure up the result.

Four scores in ten minutes from that man Paul Cleary put one between the teams with two left on the clock.

In that time, ‘Screen would be reduced to fourteen as Eoghan Gilmore saw red for a rash challenge on Thomas Brady.

Kevin Lynch’s hit the front, Sean McBride misjudging a high ball allowing Niall Ferris the chance to pull into the empty net.

On the hour mark, Mullan’s free dropped short and current minor player, Patrick O’Kane took his chance blasting into the net.

O’Reilly’s free was the last action of the game in what the scoreboard suggest is an easy win for Kevin Lynch’s when in reality it was anything but.

Kevin Lynch’s: B Lagan; N Smith, P Kelly, C Kelly; J Mullan (0-1), M Craig (0-1), L Óg Hinphey; E Cassidy (0-1), T Brady; C O’Reilly (0-5 4f), N Ferris (1-3), S Kelly; O McKeever (0-1), T McHugh, R Mullan (1-1).

Subs: K Hinphey for S Kelly (41), P O’Kane for O McKeever (47).

Ballinascreen: S McBride; A McGuigan, Johnny McCullagh, Conor McSorley; E Gilmore, R McWilliams, D Kelly; J McCloskey, A Kelly (0-1); N Rafferty (0-1), E Conway (0-1), R McSorley (1-0), P McGlade, R Scullion, P Cleary (0-7 6f).

Subs: M Bradley for P McGlade (41), C McAlinden for J McCloskey (45), C Gilmore for P Cleary.

Referee: O Elliot (Antrim)