Ballinderry Shamrocks

Ballinderry skipper Enda Muldoon with the John McLaughlin Cup

Ballinderry edged out Slaughtneil 0-10 to 0-8 in Sunday’s The Elk Derry SFC final at Celtic Park.

Paul Bradley hit four points as Slaughtneil led 0-6 to 0-3 but Kevin McGuckin and Conleth Gilligan scores left the minimum in it at the break.

Ballinderry moved ahead in the third quarter but Slaughtneil levelled at 0-8 to 0-8 midway through the second half.

Michael Bell and Colin Devlin hit the key scores while Slaughtneil’s Francis McEldowney was sent off late on.

Paul Bradley and Patsy Bradley hit the opening two scores for Slaughtneil and the Emmetts still led by two (0-3 to 0-1) after 12 minutes.

By the 20th minute Raymond Wilkinson and James Bateson had levelled the scores for Ballinderry but Paul Bradley (2) and Jim Kelly pointed frees to open up a 0-6 to 0-3 lead five minutes from half- time.

In the closing minutes of the half Kevin McGuckin and Gilligan pointed to reduce Slaughtneil’s lead to a point.

Gilligan levelled from a free after the restart and Colin Devlin then put the Shamrocks in front from another placed ball.

Points from Paul Bradley and Jim Kelly drew Slaughtneil level midway through the second half with Martin Harney on target for Ballinderry.

In the 47th minute wing-back Michael Bell scored a tremendous point to put Ballinderry back in front.

After Fergal McEldowney’s late dismissal, Devlin’s 60th-minute free proved the insurance score for Ballinderry.

Raymond Wilkinson won the man-of-the-match award.

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Ballinderry scorers: Raymond Wilkinson 0-1, Colin Devlin 0-2 frees, Conleth Gilligan 0-2 frees, James Bateson 0-1, Martin Harney 0-1, James Conway 0-1 Kevin McGuckin 0-1, Michael Bell 0-1

Slaughtneil scorers: Paul Bradley (0-5, 0-4 frees), Jim Kelly 0-2 frees, Patsy Bradley 0-1