AIB Ulster Club SHC: Slaughtneil hold off Portaferry

Gerald Bradley struck the decisive goal for Slaughtneil in their AIB Ulster Club SHC semi-final victory over Portaferry. 

AIB Ulster Club SHC semi-final

SLAUGHTNEIL 1-23 PORTAFERRY 1-18

Just like they did in last year’s provincial final, Slaughtneil finished strongly to get the better of Portaferry in today’s AIB Ulster Club SHC semi-final.

It had been a game of very fine margins until a goal from substitute Gerald Bradley gave the defending champions a winning momentum in the second-half.

Until then Down champions Portaferry had given as good as they’d gotten, with a first-half goal by Daithi Sands a highlight of the first-half.

Slaughtenil led by a single point at the break, 0-12 to 1-8, and the second half continued in the same evenly contested vein.

Two Cathal Coleman frees looked like giving Portaferry some real momentum coming down the home stretch, but then Bradley struck for that decisive goal in the closing minutes to send the Derry club into another provincial final.