Slaughtneil 1-23 Poraferry 0-18
Slaughtneil earned their spot in the Ulster Club Hurling final for the sixth successive season following a hard-fought victory over Portaferry at the Athletic Grounds, in what was a repeat of last year's provincial semi-final.
Shea Cassidy was outstanding for the victors, registering an impressive personal tally of 0-11, while Cahal Coleman was the influential figure for Portaferry contributing 0-10.
The encounter was a nip-and-tuck battle from the opening whistle.
Brendan Rogers and Chrissy McKaigue struck early scores for Slaughtneil, while Niall Fitzsimmons was on target for Portaferry.
Cassidy and Coleman consistently traded frees, but Portaferry found the back of the net midway through the first half when Daithi Sands capitalised on a break by Niall Milligan to give the Down champions a 1-07 to 0-08 lead.
However, Slaughtneil finished the first half strongly, reeling off four unanswered scores from Shane McGuigan, Cassidy (free), Ruairi O Mianain, and Cormac O'Doherty to take a slender 0-12 to 1-08 advantage lead into the second half.
Coleman and Cassidy continued to prove unerringly accurate from placed balls after the restart, but Slaughtneil slowly built a buffer that substitute Gerald Bradley emphatically augmented with a goal in the 53rd minute.
Coleman's contributions kept Portaferry in the game, but further points from McGuigan, O Mianian and a closing point from substitute Jerome McGuigan ensured Slaughtneil will contest their eighth provincial decider in 10 seasons,
St John's of Antrim will provide the opposition in the Ulster decider on Saturday, 29 November.
Scorers
Slaughtneil: S Cassidy 0-11 (10f), S McGuigan 0-03, G Bradley 1-00, R Ó Mianáin, Chrissy McKaigue, B Rogers 0-02 each, C O'Doherty 0-01f, S McGiugan and J McGuigan 0-01 each
Portaferry: C Coleman 0-10 (7f), D Sands 1-02, N Fitzsimmons 0-04, N Rogers and B Trainor 0-01 each
Slaughtneil: O O’Doherty; F McEldowney, P McNeill, C McAllister; R Ó Mianáin, M McGrath, Shane McGuigan; C Ó Mianáin, Chrissy McKaigue; M McGuigan, Sé McGuigan, E Cassidy; B Rogers, C O’Doherty, Shéa Cassidy
Subs: G Bradley for M McGuigan (48), J McGuigan for E Cassidy (56)
Portaferry: P Smyth; D Mallon, T Murray, R Smyth; B Traynor, C Taggart, C Milligan; M Conlan, S Conlan; N Fitzsimmons, F Turpin, C Coleman; E Sands, N Milligan, D Sands.
Subs: C Savage for C Milligan (41), N Rogers for S Conlan (46), C Smyth for Mallon (46), C Mageean for Fitzsimmons (57) Yellow card: S Conlan (41), T Murray (55), C Taggart (61), D Sands (63).
Referee: C McDonald (Antrim)
