Ballinderry 1-10 Slaughtneil 0-10:COLLIE DEVLIN'S superbly taken goal midway through the opening half proved the decisive score as Ballinderry retained their Derry Senior Football crown at Celtic Park yesterday afternoon.

That scored helped the Shamrocks to a four point half-time lead and although Slaughtneil closed the gap to a single point, after Ballinderry half-back Raymond Wilson was sent off for two yellow cards, they were never able to restore parity .

Pádraig Kelly kicked the opening score of the game for Slaughtneil, but Ryan Bell and Aaron Devlin replied for the Shamrocks. Kelly’s second levelled the score at 0-2 apiece and points from James Conway for Ballinderry and Jim Kelly for Slaughtneil had the sides on parity again before the key moment of the match on 16 minutes.

Enda Muldoon’s superb long pass still left Collie Devlin with plenty to do but he dummied on his right foot before spinning onto his left and passing the ball into the top corner.

Slaughtneil responded well and Danny McMullan and Jim Kelly, from a free, kept them in touch as Raymond Wilkinson pointed at the other end.

However the game seemed to swing decisively in Ballinderry’s favour in first half injury time when Conleith Gilligan and then Aaron Devlin raised white flags to give them a 1-6 to 0-5 interval lead.

When Ballinderry kicked the opening two scores of the second half – through Martin Harney and Ryan Bell to lead by six – they looked set to run away with the game. But Slaughtneil refused to buckle, with Patsy Bradley taking a grip of midfield. Chrissy Bradley kicked three points on the spin and after Wilson’s sending off resulted in Ballinderry being reduced to 14 men, a comeback looked on the cards.

Jim Kelly then fired over a free and after Bradley kicked his fourth point of the half the gap was down to a single point at 0-10 to 1-8. But Ballinderry’s experienced heads steadied the ship. Man of the match Muldoon won a couple of crucial balls and Gilligan nailed two late frees to see the Lough Shore side become the first team to retain the John McLaughlin Cup since they themselves did so in 2002.

BALLINDERRY: M Conlan; C Wilkinson; K McGuckin; R Scott; R Wilson; C Nevin; G McKinless; E Muldoon; J Conway (0-1); A Devlin (0-2); R Wilkinson (0-1); C Gilligan (0-3, two frees); C Devlin (1-0); R Bell (0-2); M Harney (0-1). Subs: D McGuckin for McKinless (52 mins); D Conway for Harney (58); Kevin (Moss) McGuckin for C Devlin (63 mins).

SLAUGHTNEIL: A McMullan; C Cassidy; C McKaigue; Francis McEldowney; Karl McKaigue; B McGuigan; D McMullan (0-1); P Bradley; P McGuigan; Fergal McEldowney; C Bradley (0-4, three frees); P Kelly (0-2); J Kelly (0-3, two frees); M Kelly; S McGuigan. Subs: S Kelly for P McGuigan (35 mins); E McKaigue for S McGuigan (40); Paul Bradley for M Kelly (48); G Bradley for D McMullan.

Referee: S Hamill (Ballerin).