Derry SFC: Champs Slaughtneil snatch late, late draw against Magherafelt in Owenbeg thriller

Champions Slaughtneil snatched late, late point in extra time to earn a draw against O’Donovan Rossa (Magherafelt) in a thrilling M & L Contracts Derry Senior Football Championship second round tie at Owenbeg this evening.

Slaughtneil, who last season went all the way to the All-Ireland final in Croke only to be beaten by Corafin, had Patsy Bradley back in their starting line-up and they got off to a flying start and were 1-03 to 0-00 ahead with 10 minutes gone, the goal coming Ronan Bradley (pictured) who was set up by Sammy Bradley.

Five points from Shane Heavron made it a one point game after 19 minutes.

However, Slaugthneil regrouped and Chrissy McKeague with their first score in 12 minutes followed by points from Paul Bradley and Se McGuigan had them four in front with 25 minutes gone.

Five points, including frees by Murphy and Heavron, saw Magherafelt lead by a single point at half-time on a scoreline of 0-10 to 1-06.

Slaughtneil levelled things up shortly after the restart but Conor Kearns quickly restored Rossa’s advantage.

A Paul Bradley free levelled things up once again before Shane McGuigan put the champions back in the lead.

Heavron, with yet another free, levelled things again on the scoreline of 1-09 to 0-12.

A Paul Bradley free and a point from McGuigan put the champions two ahead with 15 minutes left.

But points from Niall Higgins and Heavron, his eighth of the game, had them all square with ten left on the clock.

McGuigan, with this fourth score of the game, put Slaughtneil in front again four minutes later but a Danny Heavron free from distance had them all square in the dying minutes. A brilliant point from Shane Heavron had Magherafelt leading by a single point two minutes from time.

However, Chrissy Bradley popped up in injury time to take the game into extra-time as the game finished Slaughtneil 1-13, Magherafelt 0-16 at the end of normal time.

The sides remained level after the first 10-minute period of extra-time on a scoreline of Slaughtneil 1-15, Magherafelt 0-18.

Danny Heavron thought he had sealed the win for Castledawson with a point 25 seconds from the final whistle but Paul Bradley put over last gasp free from 45 metres to see the game end level, Slaughtneil 1-16, Magherafelt 0-19.

The teams will meet again on a date to be fixed.