Goal ace Louise leads the way as
SLAUGHTNEIL maintained their position as the premier camogie club team in the land, a commanding second half performance ensuring that they retained their AIB All-Ireland Senior Championship title at St Tiernach’s Park, Clones on Saturday.
In the process, they continued the dreadful run of Galway representatives in the decider, with Sarsfields’ second consecutive loss the sixth in a row for the western champions at the final hurdle.
It took Slaughtneil a while to kick into gear and they would have been delighted to go in at the break level on 1-5 apiece, given that Sarsfields were more threatening.
The champions hit the front in the 42nd minute, when the excellent Tina Hannon pointed, and this was the first of three events in as many minutes that turned the game.
Sarsfields key player Niamh McGrath lost her ongoing battle with a leg injury that clearly hampered her contribution immediately after and was withdrawn. This was a monumental blow.
And then, right on the three-quarter mark, Louise Dougan rifled an unstoppable shot to the roof of the Sarsfields net from a penalty, after the brilliant Shannon Graham was hauled down by Erica Leslie.
By now, Slaughtneil were managing to impose themselves physically and when Hannon gave them a four-point advantage, the Derry girls were able to protect the lead by dropping deep and denying the opposition danger women the space they needed to thrive.
Slaughtneil goalie Jolene Bradley was called into action from the very first attack, when Maria Cooney caught a McGrath free and sent in a powerful shot that the Slaughtneil goalkeeper was equal to.
It was a lightening quick start to proceedings, and the sides were level on two points apiece when they then exchanged goals.
Sinéad Cannon applied the finishing touch to Sarsfields’ major in the 10th minute but while the finish was cool, the score