DERRY GAA: Slaughtneil crowned 2015 Derry football champions

Only weeks after the club’s hurlers retained the county hurling title, Slaughtneil’s footballers made it a Derry ‘double-double’ by defeating Coleraine to claim their second succession Derry Senior Football crown in Celtic Park on Sunday.

Se McGuigan’s 41st minute goal proved the decisive score, the Slauhtneil forward running in unchallenged to punch Paul Bradley’s dropping free into the net to finally kick-start what had been a disappointing spectacle to that point.

A tense, defensive first half saw only three points from play as both teams got men behind the ball, Slaughtneil building a 0-3 to 0-1 lead before a superb Gavan McWilliams point brought the sides level 17 minutes in. Francis McEldowney saw a shot hit the bar for Slaughtneil before Paul Bradley’s second free of the half sent the defending champions in 0-4 to 0-3 ahead at the break.

MvGuigan’s goal helped put Slaughtneil 1-6 to 0-3 ahead and seemingly in control but Coleraine eventually threw off the defensive shackles and almost did enough to cause an unlikely upset.

Five points in succession left it 1-7 to 0-8 with nine minutes left and both sides had a man black carded. Coleraine’s Ciaran Lenehan passed up a gilt edged goal chance with five minutes left when he could only hook his shot over the bar form six yards but Coleraine had left it too late and Slaugthneil held on by a point.

Slaughtneil: Antoin McMullan; Francis McEldowney, Brendan Rodgers, Karl McKaigue; Paul McNeill, Chrissy McKaigue, Barry McGuigan; Patsy Bradley, Padraig Cassidy; Padrig Kelly (0-1, 1f), Paul Bradley (0-4, 3f), Ronan Bradley (0-1); Christopher Bradley (0-1), Se McGuigan (1-0), Cormac O’Doherty. (Subs) Shane McGuigan for C O’Doherty, 45mins; Meehaul McGrath for P Kelly, 53mins;

Black Card: Shane McGuigan (replaced by Conan Cassidy, 59mins)

Coleraine: Ryan McGeough; Ciaran Mullan, Liam McGoldrick, Ciaran Lagan; Ruairi Mooney, Sean Leo McGoldrick (0-1), Richard Carey; Niall Holly, Barry McGoldrick (0-1, 1f); Ciaran Lenehan (0-1), Declan Mullan, Steven Coyles (0-1); Ciaran McGoldrick, Colm McGoldrick (0-3, 2f), Gavan McWilliams (0-1). (Subs) Conor Carey (0-1) for Ciaran McGoldrick, 38mins)

Black Card: Ciaran Lagan (replaced by Joe Diamond, 58mins)

Referee: Dan Mullan .