Derry hurling championship begins to take shape

Last weekend brought the final round of fixtures in the group stages of the Leadon Timber Frame Derry Hurling Championship, setting the stage for next weekend’s knockout battles. Ulster champions Slaughtneil have maintained a stranglehold on the Fr Collins Cup, having lifted it for the past 12 seasons in succession.

Last season’s decider saw the champions overcome Banagher 0-16 to 0-4 before going on to beat Cushendall and Portaferry to claim their fifth Ulster crown. Their remarkable run was halted in the All-Ireland semi-final last December, where they narrowly lost out to Cork side Sarsfields by the smallest of margins, 0-18 to 0-17.

The Derry championship is divided into two groups of four, with the knockout phases of the junior, intermediate, and senior competitions all determined by the final group standings. The bottom two in each group progress to the junior semi-finals, while the top two book their places in the senior semi-finals.

The losing sides in the senior last four will then contest the intermediate final. All three county finals are fixed for October 5th, with the semi-finals down for decision next weekend in Owenbeg.

In Group A, Slaughtneil and Kevin Lynch’s sealed their spots in the senior semi-finals. The reigning Ulster champions remain firmly on course for what would be an extraordinary 13th county title in succession.

The two clubs have featured in five of the last six county deciders, and their most recent meeting in the group stages underlined how fine the margins can be. Kevin Lynch’s pushed the champions all the way, with Slaughtneil edging through by a narrow margin, 0-27 to 1-20.

Last weekend, the Dungiven men eased past city side Na Magha to secure their place in the last four with a 1-21 to 0-12 victory at Páirc Chaomhín Uí Loingsigh. Slaughtneil, meanwhile, proved far too strong for Lavey, running out 0-25 to 0-14 winners.

In Group B, Swatragh and Ballinascreen emerged as the semi-finalists, with the latter maintaining an impressive 100 per cent record in the group stages. The reigning Ulster junior champions secured a 2-12 to 0-16 victory over Banagher last weekend, ensuring their safe passage and setting up a last-four clash with Kevin Lynch’s.

Swatragh, who picked up wins over Banagher and Eoghan Rua, now face the unenviable task of trying to dethrone Slaughtneil in the senior semi-final. Under the championship format, the two beaten semi-finalists will contest the intermediate decider.

As reigning intermediate champions, Swatragh will be eager to build on last year’s success. However, should they fall short against the dominant Slaughtneil, they will still have the chance to defend their crown in the intermediate final.

The remaining two teams in each group will now contest the Derry Junior Hurling Championship, with two final berths up for grabs. In Group A, 18-time champions Lavey, along with Na Magha, missed out on the senior grade. Meanwhile over in Group B, Banagher and Coleraine outfit Eoghan Rua complete the junior semi-final line-up.

Lavey will meet an Eoghan Rua side that has endured a torrid campaign, suffering heavy defeats in each of their three group outings. Their most recent clash ended in a comprehensive 3-26 to 3-6 loss to Swatragh, and across the round-robin stage, they shipped an average losing margin of 20 points.

Despite that form, the Coleraine men now have the chance to reset, with a place in the county junior final up for grabs this weekend. On the other side of the draw, city outfit Na Magha will take on 2021 Ulster intermediate champions Banagher.

The three-time Derry champions may count themselves unfortunate to be competing at junior level, having lost out by just two points to both Ballinascreen and Swatragh in the group stages. Na Magha, meanwhile, will be aiming to reach their first decider since 2021, when they claimed their sole junior crown via a walkover against Eoghan Rua.

IN PICTURES: Derry GAA fans enjoy the weekend action at Owenbeg

The senior and junior semi-finals will be staged as double-headers this weekend, with all games down for decision in Owenbeg. On Saturday, Banagher face Na Magha at 3pm, before Slaughtneil’s showdown with Swatragh at 4:45pm.

Sunday’s action begins with Lavey against Eoghan Rua at 1pm, serving as the curtain-raiser to the clash of Ballinascreen and Kevin Lynch’s at 2:45pm.