There remains an itch the Slaughtneil hurlers have been trying to scratch for the best part of a decade now.
Since winning their maiden Ulster club senior hurling title in late 2016, the Derry outfit have captured a total of six provincial small-ball crowns but an All-Ireland final appearance has thus far remained out of reach.
They have lost All-Ireland semi-finals to Cuala (Dublin), Na Piarsaigh (Limerick), Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilkenny), Ballygunner (Waterford) and Sarsfields (Cork).
Three of their conquerors went on to lift the Tommy Moore Cup that same season.
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On Sunday, Slaughtneil will have their sixth opportunity to try navigate a path to an All-Ireland final when they face Galway champions Loughrea at Parnell Park.
The Slaughtneil footballers contested two All-Ireland club finals (losses in 2015 and 2017) while the club’s camogie team competed in four deciders, winning three All-Ireland crowns in-a-row between 2017 and 2019.
For the club’s hurlers, semi-finals remain an unconquered frontier.
Of the starting 15 against Cuala in 2017, their first All-Ireland semi-final appearance, 11 of that Slaughtneil team also lined out in last month’s Ulster final win over St John’s. Another, Gerald Bradley, came off the bench during that Ulster decider – meaning 12 of the 2017 All-Ireland semi-final team were involved in the club’s most recent provincial triumph.
Slaughtneil have also been bolstered by the return of Chrissy McKaigue this season after the former club and county captain had stepped back from playing with the hurlers last year.
However, they have lost Jack Cassidy from the 2025 side after he moved to America to kick for Western Kentucky University’s football team.
Loughrea are 2-5 favourites to win on Sunday. Two of Slaughtneil’s five semi-final losses have occurred at Parnell Park. The numbers don’t make light reading for Slaughtneil, but there is only one way Paul McCormack’s team can change the nearly-men narrative – scratch the itch.
Here’s a look at Slaughtneil’s history in All-Ireland club hurling semi-finals:
February 2017: Cuala 3-21 Slaughtneil 2-11 (Athletic Grounds, Armagh)
Con O’Callaghan and David Treacy combined for 1-11 as Cuala marched confidently to a maiden All-Ireland final appearance. The Dublin champions had the game all but wrapped up by half-time when they led 1-13 to 0-5, with O’Callaghan netting an early goal.
Slaughtneil were reduced to 14 midway through the second half when Cormac McKenna was sent off on a second yellow card. The Derry champions were chasing history by trying to become the third of their club’s teams to reach an All-Ireland final that year but they couldn’t replicate the achievements of their footballers and camogie sides. Eight dual players started in both the football and hurling semi-finals.
February 2018: Na Piarsaigh 3-15 Slaughtneil 3-8 (Parnell Park)
This one still burns. Slaughtneil led 2-6 to 1-6 at half-time and early in the second half Na Piarsaigh were reduced to 13 when Conor Boylan (33rd minute) and Thomas Grimes (35th minute) were sent off. It felt like Slaughtneil’s game to lose. And so it proved.
Na Piarsaigh, All-Ireland champions in 2016, delivered a sensational second-half display, outscoring their Ulster opponents 2-9 to 1-2 to run out seven-point victors. Ronan Lynch finished the game with 0-14 for Na Piarsaigh while Shane Dowling had a huge impact in the second half.
January 2020: Ballyhale Shamrocks 2-24 Slaughtneil 2-19 (Páirc Esler, Newry)
Ballyhale led 1-11 to 1-10 at the interval but within moments of the restart Slaughtneil were back level. It was clear the reigning All-Ireland champions would have to dig deep to battle their way out of Newry with a victory. TJ Reid was a steadying figure for Ballyhale though and he finished the game with 0-11. Colin Fennelly hit 2-1 and ultimately Ballyhale just had a bit more class. Still, as The Irish Times report of the match stated: “Henry Shefflin’s side responded to everything the underdogs threw at them ... but they left Newry certainly feeling rattled.”
January 2022: Ballygunner 2-19 Slaughtneil 1-17 (Parnell Park)
Slaughtneil suffered another semi-final loss in Parnell Park against Munster opposition – but this time it was in the form of a Ballygunner side on their way to All-Ireland glory. Ballygunner led 1-8 to 0-9 at the turnaround. Billy O’Keeffe scored a goal in each half for the Waterford champions and finished the game with a personal tally of 2-3. Shane McGuigan scored Slaughtneil’s goal late on.
December 2024: Sarsfields 0-18 Slaughtneil 0-17 (St Conleth’s Park, Newbridge)
It came down to inches in the end. The sides were level after 60 minutes but Sarsfields registered three injury-time points to Slaughtneil’s one. Slaughtneil captain Mark McGuigan had one last-gasp chance to change the outcome but just couldn’t keep his shot down, with the sliotar whizzing over the crossbar rather than under it. Heartache again for Slaughtneil.
