DERRY GAA: Slaughtneil cruise past gutsy Na Magha to serve championship warning

Na Magha 0-11, Slaughtneil 0-34

Slaughtneil began their march to what most believe will be a 13th consecutive Derry Senior Hurling title with a facile 23-point Group A victory over a gutsy Na Magha side in Ballyarnett on Sunday.

The result was never in doubt in an opening tie that was tantamount to warm-up for both clubs. The championship fate of neither Slaughtneil nor Na Magha was ever going to be decided here, the two clubs currently working off vastly different levels and it showed at times as the Ulster champions produced some lovely stick work and scores, with Cormac O'Doherty hitting 0-11 and the impressive Shea Cassidy helping himself to 0-9.

Chrissy McKaigue, in an advanced role, conducted the Slaughtneil orchestra and most times the Emmet's biggest adversary was themselves. Despite their impressive final tally the visitors hit 22 wides across the hour, nine in the opening 12 minutes alone and 16 in a first half that finished with the visitors well in front at 0-17 to 0-4.

Now, those misses weren't ever going to change the destination of the two-points in this one, and perhaps it was a case of shaking off the ring rust, but that tally will be concern if it happens again deeper into the championship.

Yet to be overly critical of Slaughtneil is to deny Na Magha credit they richly deserved, especially in defence. With county man Deaglan Foley doing a decent job at sweeper, the city side were excellent in those opening exchanges and got plenty of pressure on the Slaughtneil shooting.

Aaron Campbell was the pick of a dogged backline with a superb, tenacious display while in midfield Michael Lynch more than held his own against his illustrious opponents. Mark McCloskey got two points in a non-stop second half display and even if Tomas Lally's men were never in danger of causing what would have been the mother of all upsets, they showed enough to suggest they can make an impact at the Intermediate or Junior grade, depending on how a very tough group plays out over the coming weeks.

Slaughtneil rested Shane McGuigan but such is the embarrassment of riches available at Emmet Park, that it was still a team full of Derry and Ulster medals which started in Pairc Na Magha.

Cormac O'Doherty took only seconds to signal the gap in class between the sides with a lightning quick opener but Na Magha levelled through livewire corner-forward Jude Bryson. A Shea Cassidy free and Chrissy McKaigue's first of the day had Slaughtneil 0-3 to 0-1 inside two minutes but Na Magha were keeping this visitors honest - as they would do all afternoon - through a Foley free which brought it back to the minimum once more.

Derry captain O'Doherty, Shea Cassidy and Eunan Boyle took it out to 0-6 to 0-3 and while a Lynch free would bring Na Magha's fourth point, Slaughtneil were beginning to set aside the wayward shooting of the opening quarter to pull away into the distance.

Ruairi O Mianain was denied a goal by an excellent Alan Grant stop but with a commanding 13 point lead at the break, the second half was only ever going to be about pride for the city men.

And they showed plenty of it, Campbell and Lynch in particular shining but Slaughtneil were simply operating on a different level. Unbeaten in the county championship since 2013, this was an ominous sign that they've no intention of relinquishing their crown any time soon.

Na Magha scorers: Jude Bryson (0-3), Michael Lynch (0-3, 3f), Mark McCloskey (0-2), Deaglan Foely (0-1, 1f), Timothy Rankin (0-1), Breandan Quigley (0-1)

Slaughtneil scorers: Cormac O'Doherty (0-11, 2f), Shea Cassidy (0-9, 2f, 1 '65'), Chrissy McKaigue (0-5), Brendan Rogers (0-2), Proinsias Burke (0-2), Eunan Boyle (0-1), Mark McGuigan (0-1), Conor Coyle (0-1), Meehaul McGrath (0-1), Fionn McEldowney (0-1).

Na Magha: Alan Grant, Odhran Cleneghan, Diarmuid Shiels, Aaron Campbell, Oisin Glass, Deaglan Foley, Fergal McAnaney, Michael Lynch, Aidan Cutliffe, Timothy Rankin, Bliadhan Glass, Mark McCloskey, Ruaidhri McLaughlin, Breandan Quigley, Jude Bryson. (Subs) Lorcan Doherty for D Shiels, HT; Conor Murphy for F McAnaney, 36mins; Fergal Cutliffe for R McLaughlin, 40mins; Oran Morris for T Rankin, 41mins.

Slaughtneil: Oisin O'Doherty, Sean Cassidy, Conor McAllister, Fionn McEldowney, Cahal McKaigue, Conor Coyle, Eanna O’Caiside, Ruairi O Mianain, Meehaul McGrath, Mark McGuigan, Chrissy McKaigue, Eunan Boyle, Brendan Rogers, Cormac O'Doherty, Shea Cassidy. (Subs) Proinsias Burke for B Rogers; Deaglan McNamee for E O Cassidy; Sean O'Doherty for M McGrath; Conan Hunter for Cahal McKaigue; Fintan McGrath for Shea Cassidy.

Referee: James Callaghan