Leadon Timber Frames Derry hurling championship finals preview

Next weekend marks the climax of the Leadon Timber Frame Derry hurling championship, with three finals down for decision and an Ulster spot on the line.

Slaughtneil, chasing an astonishing 13th title in succession, will once again face 23-time champions Kevin Lynches in a rivalry that has defined the county stage.

Remarkably, it’s the sixth time in seven years these two sides have clashed in the final. Their most recent meeting came in Round 2 of Group A, when Lynches pushed the champions all the way before Slaughtneil edged through on a scoreline of 0-27 to 1-20.

Reigning Derry and Ulster champions, Slaughtneil have maintained a stranglehold on the Fr Collins Cup, lifting it for the past 12 seasons. Last year’s decider saw them dismantle Banagher 0-16 to 0-4, before going on to beat Cushendall and Portaferry en route to their fifth Ulster crown.

Their remarkable run was only halted at the All-Ireland semi-final stage last December, when they were desperately unlucky to lose out to Cork side Sarsfields by the narrowest of margins, 0-18 to 0-17.

The Derry hurling championship is divided into two groups of four, comprising the county’s eight senior clubs. The final group standings determine the knockout stages of the junior, intermediate, and senior competitions.

The bottom two in each group progress to the junior semi-finals, while the top two book their places in the senior last four. From Group A, Slaughtneil and Kevin Lynches advanced to the senior semi-finals, where they met Swatragh and Ballinascreen, respectively, the qualifiers from Group B.

Last weekend, Slaughtneil overcame a stern challenge from Swatragh, securing a 1-22 to 1-11 victory, while Dungiven proved too strong for 2024 Ulster junior champions Ballinascreen, running out 3-20 to 1-13 winners.

From 2019 to 2023, Slaughtneil and Kevin Lynches contested every Fr Collins Cup final, with the 13-in-a-row champions rarely troubled by their Dungiven rivals. Across those five deciders, Lynches lost by an average margin of 12 points.

However, this year’s fiercely contested round-robin clash suggests the men in black and white should prove a match for the Slaughtneil juggernaut.

Lynches will be looking to inter-county stars Richie Mullan and Corey O’Reilly, as well as their exciting crop of U20 panellists, to inspire them to glory for the first time since 2011. Slaughtneil, meanwhile, can call upon an astonishing wealth of talent, with dual star Brendan Rogers, Shea Cassidy, and Cormac O’Doherty among the leading lights.

IN PICTURES: Slaughtneil edge past Lavey in gripping championship clash

The senior hurling final takes place next Sunday, October 5th, at 3:30 pm in Owenbeg. Sunday’s champions will advance to the Ulster semi-finals to face the Down champions on the weekend of November 15th, while Donegal’s Setanta will take on the Antrim champions on the other side of the draw. The Ulster final is scheduled for a fortnight later, on November 30th.

Meanwhile, the losers of last weekend’s senior semi-finals, Swatragh and Ballinascreen, will contest the intermediate decider, which serves as the curtain-raiser to the senior final. Throw-in is set for 1:30 pm in Owenbeg.

Reigning champions Swatragh will be chasing their sixth title at this grade, while Ballinascreen will look to build on last year’s Ulster success and secure a second intermediate crown. Their first triumph came just two years ago with a comprehensive victory over Eoghan Rua.

The victors will also earn a place in the Ulster intermediate quarter-finals, where Fermanagh’s Lisbellaw St Patricks await. That game is set to take place at Brewster Park on the weekend of November 2nd.

Also up for grabs this Saturday is the Leadon Timber Frames County Junior Final, with a huge prize on offer for either Lavey or Banagher. The junior semi-finals took place last weekend, with Group A’s Lavey and Na Magha facing Group B’s Eoghan Rua and Banagher.

Eighteen-time county senior champions Lavey eased past Coleraine side Eoghan Rua in their semi-final, running out comprehensive 2-16 to 1-8 winners. Banagher, meanwhile, were forced to dig deep to overcome city side Na Magha in a thrilling contest, recording a 3-13 to 1-18 victory and setting up a repeat of the 2020 County Junior Final.

Lavey came up just short in last year’s decider, losing out to eventual Ulster champions Ballinascreen by 2-16 to 1-17. They will be aiming to claim their third junior crown, having previously lifted the title in 2020 and 2022.

Last year’s county senior finalists Banagher will be hoping to win their first-ever junior title, having been on the wrong end of finals in 2020 and 2023. Saturday’s winners will go on to face Cavan’s Cootehill Celtic in Owenbeg on November 1 in the Ulster Junior Quarter-Finals.