Slaughtneil 2-21 Ballygalget 1-12
Slaughtneil went through the gears in the second half and comfortably retained their Ulster club SHC title at the Athletic Grounds with a 12-point winning margin over Ballygalget.
Leading the Down champions by four points at the break, the dual-chasing Derry club upped the tempo significantly in the second half and pulled clear with Cormac O'Doherty top-scoring with 1-10.
Ballygalget stayed in the game for long enough and there was only a goal in it eight minutes after the interval, but every time they threatened to get close, Slaughtneil responded instantly with a score of their own to reassert their dominance.
Ballygalget's Mark Fisher was sent-off after 53 minutes, picking up a second yellow card for pulling down Gerard Bradley in the square.
O'Doherty drilled the penalty home and the floodgates opened.
The sides were level three times in the opening 12 minutes, each time Ballygalget took the lead and three times Slaughtneil pegged them back.
The Down champions, bidding to win the provincial title for the first time since 2005, were lively early on with Mark Fisher hitting a superb long-range shot and Gareth 'Magic' Johnston on target from frees.
Comhghairdeas @GACSlaughtneil! @AIB_GAA #UlsterClub Senior Hurling Club Champions 2017 #TheToughest pic.twitter.com/59pwvpoZpk
— Ulster GAA (@UlsterGAA) October 22, 2017
However Slaughtneil possessed the greater goal threat, forcing two saves from 'keeper Jamie Crowe, before Sean Cassidy struck the opening goal in the 13th minute.
Full-forward Brendan Rogers won a high ball and turned with Cassidy running off his shoulder and finishing the move with a low strike to the far corner of the net.
Brian Cassidy and Karl McKaigue added fine scores for the defending champions with Cormac O'Doherty unerring from the dead ball, nailing 0-05 in the first half including three '65s.
Johnston's physicality caused problems for the Slaughtneil defence and he nailed his frees to keep Ballygalet in touch, trailing by 1-07 to 0-06 at the break.
Brendan Rogers moved out to centre half-forward in the second half and looked more at home, notching over two points with Brian Cassidy adding 0-03 from play in the second half.
Slaughtneil were able to get their scores more easily and despite the hectic demands of chasing back-to-back Ulster hurling and football titles, fatigue was not an issue.
If anything, they grew stronger as the game wore on, Karl McKaigue's pacey run and inspirational point near the end a sign of their incredible energy resources.
Johnston's frees were important for Ballygalget and when his goal-bound shot was saved, Caolan Bailie pulled on the rebound for a consolation goal in the fifth minute of injury-time.
Thirteen of Slaughtneil's starting hurling team have just six days to recover before taking on Omagh St Enda's in the Ulster club football quarter-final at Celtic Park.
SLAUGHTNEIL: O O'Doherty; K McKaigue (0-03), Shane McGuigan, P McNeill; M McGrath, C McKenna, C McAllister (0-01); G Bradley (0-01), C McKaigue; Mark McGuigan, C O'Doherty (1-10), S Cassidy (1-00); Se McGuigan, B Rogers (0-02), Brian Cassidy (0-04)
Subs: G O'Kane for S Cassidy (42), B Og Corbett for McAllister (60)
BALLYGALGET: J Crowe; B Byers, E Clarke, J McManus; E Coulter, B Toner, Peter McManus; C Bailie (1-00), J Doran; G Roddy, D McManus, M Fisher (0-01); C Coulter, G Johnston (0-08), D Toner (0-02)
Subs: J Smyth for Byers (60), C Doran for C Coulter (60), Paul McManus for Doran (60)
Referee: Colum Cunning (Antrim)
