All-Ireland Club SHC: Ballyhale Shamrocks defeat Slaughtneil in 2-24 to 2-19 epic

Reigning All-Ireland champions Ballyhale Shamrocks will defend their title after overcoming Slaughtneil 2-24 to 2-19 in a phenomenal semi-final.

Colin Fennelly's late goal gave Ballyhale's win a more comfortable look which does not reflect a mammoth effort from the Ulster champions.

Jerome McGuigan and Fennelly traded goals as the sides went into the break separated by only a point.

Brendan Rogers' goal kept Slaughtneil in the hunt before Fennelly's clincher.

That the Derry champions stood toe-to-toe with the most successful club in Ireland and looked every bit a match for their opponents will be of little consolation to Slaughtneil, for whom the semi-final defeat is their third in the last four years.

Ballyhale, seeking their eighth All-Ireland crown, will meet Munster champions Borris-Ileigh in the final on 19 January.

Emmets impress in opening half despite easy Shamrocks scores

The opening 10 minutes in Newry belonged to Slaughtneil who, led by captain Chrissy McKaigue, sought to drive forward with purpose at every opportunity.

On six minutes Brian Cassidy's sideline cut fell for McGuigan who fired the opening goal along the ground as Emmets made their early dominance count.

Despite enjoying the better of the exchanges, Slaughtneil's foul count was high with TJ Reid duly obliging to score the first three of his 10 frees.

It took 11 minutes for Ronan Corcoran to notch Ballyhale's first score from play, which sparked a run of five straight Shamrocks points.

Fennelly, whose strength and bursts of speed over short distances proved to be the major thorn in Slaughtneil's side, stamped his authority on proceedings after 18 minutes as he slammed his effort past keeper Oisin O'Doherty having been teed up by Reid.

Fennelly nearly had another goal before the interval after a barrelling run through the heart of Slaughtneil's defence but his shot whistled past the post.

Shamrocks emerged from the dressing room for the second half seven minutes before Slaughtneil returned to the field, and with the presumably direct instructions of manager Henry Shefflin still ringing in their ears the Kilkenny champions attacked the game with renewed vigour.

Fennelly saw his shot cannon off the inside of the post after surging past three defenders as the defending champions threatened to pull clear.

Eoin Reid and Patrick Mullen, brought on at the interval to contain the rampant McKaigue, fired over a pair of excellent scores as Ballyhale stretched their lead to five with 10 minutes remaining.

Slaughtneil fought back with four of the next five points but it looked as though their chase would be in vain until Rogers' magnificent intervention in the 58th minute.

Having collected the puckout, the dual-code star drove straight through two tacklers before unleashing a fierce shot into the net to reduce the deficit to two.

With the scoreline in the balance as the game entered injury time it was Fennelly who struck the decisive blow with another typically bulldozing intervention to bounce off McKaigue's shoulder and evade Conor McAllister's tackle before lashing home.

Ballyhale Shamrocks: D Mason; D Corcoran, J Holden, D Mullen; E Shefflin (0-3), M Fennelly, R Reid; R Corcoran (0-2), C Walsh; A Mullen, B Cody (0-3), TJ Reid (0-11, 10f); E Reid (0-1), C Fennelly (2-1), E Cody (0-2).

Subs: M Gorman, B Butler, G Butler, P Hearne, J Cuddiny, M Aylward, C Phelan, P Mullen (0-1), Eoin Kenneally, K Mullen, C Corcoran, M David, P Doyle, Enda Kenneally.

Slaughtneil: E O'Doherty, K McKaigue, S Cassidy, S O Caiside (0-1); C McKenna, Shane McGuigan, M McGrath (0-1); G Bradley, C McKaigue (0-2); M McGuigan, C O'Doherty (0-9, 9f), B Rodgers (1-2); B Cassidy (0-3), Se McGuigan (0-1), J McGuigan (1-0).

Subs: Morgan McEldowney, C McAllister, P Kearney, M McEldowney, R McCartney, C McKenna, G O'Kane, J McCloskey, C Mullan, C Hunter, P Convery, F O Caiside, M McKenna, S McCloskey, F McEldowney.