Slaughtneil right back where they want to be

Slaughtneil’s Ruairí O’Mianain says that Slaughtneil are right back where they want to be after the Robert Emmetts saw off Lavey in a pulsating Derry senior football championship clash to reach another semi-final.

“That's probably the plan at the start of the year, to get back to that stage and then try and push on from where we were at last year,” said O’Mianain.

“That's two years in a row now we've been in the semi-finals, so this is the third year and we're hoping to push on from there

Mark Doran’s side where strong favourites to advance but they came up against a Lavey side that refused to concede defeat despite letting Slaughtneil in for three goals.

The Erin’s Own controlled a majority of the first half and led for most of the opening period and at one point led 0-6 to 1-0.

But as O’Mianain explains, panic is something they don’t do in Slaughtneil.

“It was weird because they had more possession obviously, but I felt when we had the ball in our hands, we still got shots away. It's just they weren't going over the bar.

“I'd be interested to see what the shots were in the first half or in that first 20 minutes. Because I think roughly, we got the same amount, of shots off. It's just we were maybe getting the shots off quicker.

“They were slowing it down and working the shot a bit more in that first half. So, I wasn't really that worried.

“That's just the game nowadays. Some teams keep the ball; other teams are a bit more go. In the first half we seen space and we went.

“And as I said, when you're playing against a team like Lavey, one of the best teams in the county, you know it's going to be tough. We were under no illusions how the game could have gone either way today.

“So, you just have to keep plugging away and get your best players on the ball.

“A lot of the younger boys stepped up with a few points and big turnovers and stuff. I thought it was a good team performance, especially in that last 10 or 15 when Lavey were really having a surge back at us.

“We just held them at arm's length and pushed through.”

IN PICTURES: Slaughtneil edge past Lavey in gripping championship clash

But Slaughtneil kept creating chances and eventually they started to make headway on the scoreboard including two from O’Mianain who landed one off either foot.

“Aye, it's probably a bit of luck too, especially on the left foot.

“Somebody came around on the loop and it was just more of a hit and hope. It just snuck inside the right post and then again on the one on the right foot. It was just one on one. The boys always say if you see a one on one, you have to back yourself. Thank God I went over the bar that time.”

It’s almost five years since Slaughtneil last captured the John McLaughlin Cup, but there appears to be a freshness around the class of 2025 with a great blend of experience and youthful excuburance.

“I suppose there is,” agreed O’Mianain.

“There's a lot of young boys that have come through. So, it brings a bit of an energy to the group when so many young boys are pushing through and they're fighting for a place.

“But as I said, it's a lot of the older boys who are the captains of the ship and they steer us in the right way. So, we bring the energy and they bring that bit of experience.”