Slaughtneil take title for the first time

Derry SFC final/Slaughtneil 1-8 Bellaghy 0-9: A blistering first 15 minutes gave Slaughtneil the launching pad for their first Derry senior football crown in a hard-fought game at Maghera yesterday.

The Emmetts men had scored 1-3 without reply in a storming start and by the time Bellaghy got going they were already playing catch-up.

John Brennan's side always looked sharper and pacier and a free from Paul Bradley and 45 from Jim Kelly got them on their way before he struck for the game's only goal after 11 minutes.

A sweeping move involving Fergal McEldowney and Dermot Doherty finished with Bradley drawing out the goalkeeper and playing in Kelly who blasted the ball to the empty net from close range.

Bellaghy got off the mark with a point from Francis Glackin, quickly followed up by a pointed free from Gavin Diamond.

A well-worked point from Shane Kelly kept Slaughtneil out in front but another Glackin effort and a second Diamond free meant Bellaghy were only a goal behind at the interval, 1-4 to 0-4.

Again Slaughtneil started quickest in the second half with Fergal McEldowney and Padraig Kelly taking points in the opening two minutes of the half.

Despite keeping Slaughtneil pinned in their own half Bellaghy's inability to turn pressure into scores proved costly as they relied on two more Diamond frees to keep up the pressure before Bradley and Fergal McEldowney pointed for Slaughtneil.

All Bellaghy could muster in reply was a point from Glackin and two Diamond frees.

BELLAGHY: B Scullion; M McGoldrick, D O'Neill, Peter Diamond; K McNally, K Diamond, K Doherty; F Doherty, Paul Diamond; F Glackin (0-3), G Doherty, L McPeake; G Diamond (0-6, all frees), C Doherty, J Cassidy. Subs: J Mulholland for McPeake, J Diver for C Doherty, A Casidy for J Cassidy.

SLAUGHTNEIL: F Bradley, C Cassidy, M Cassidy, M McEldowney; Francis McEldowney, D Kearney, P Kelly; S Kelly (0-1), Patsy Bradley; D Doherty, Fergal McEldowney (0-2), B. McGuigan; Paul Bradley (0-3), J Kelly (1-2, two frees), N Convery. Subs: M Keaney for M McEldowney, D Cassidy for D Doherty. C McEldowney for N. Convery.

Ref: T O'Kane (Castledawson).