When Rossa lowered the colours of three-in-row champions Cushendall in the quarter-final of the 1994 Senior Hurling Championship they were on a high as they went into a semi-final battle with arch rivals St John’s at Casement Park. However as we all know, form can so often go out the window in these local derbies and so it proved as the Johnnies sprung a big surprise to book a place in the final against Dunloy.
This is the Ballymea Chronicle report from the time
Battling Johnnies turn the tide
Antirm Senior Hurling Championshp semi-final
St John’s 1-9 Rossa 1-7
Rossa went into this game as favourites following their fine victory over Cushendall in the quarter final, but the Johnnies turned the form book on its head.
Casment Park was no place for the faint hearted as these two old rivals went at it tooth and nail from the start. St John’s scored first when wing back John Cousins sent over a superb point from 60 metres but Rossa were soon back on terms with a point from close range by Collie Murphy. The game at this stage had already become littered with fouls and Paul Montgomery gave the Whiterock men command with well struck frees in 11th, 13th and 14th minutes, and when he made it four in a row the famous roar started to ring out from the Johnnies faithful.
The midfield pairing of Connolly and Close, who had been so effective last time out, were being hassled out of their stride by the tenacious Heanan and Collins, but Close finally got his name on the scoresheet with a point from a free in the 15th minute. Noel Murray cut the gap to two and Close added another in the 19th minute as his partnership with Connolly finally started to pay dividends. There was just a point between them at this stage but St John’s responded well and two more points from Montgomery in the 22nd and 23rd minutes put them three clear again.
Joe McCaffrey replied with a great Rossa point in the 25th minute and it was to be the final score of the half as the Johnnies went in at the break with a deserved 0-7 to 0-5 lead.
St John’s began the second half still holding the upper hand and Conor McCaffrey extended their lead with a good point in the 35th minute. Paul Montgomery added another from a free four minutes later and at this stage Rossa looked in need of inspiration. That inspiration arrived two minutes later when Collie Murphy soloed their through the Johnnies defence and after shipping a heavy challenge before firing the ball past Nugent to the Johnnies net.
Only a point in it now and when Jim Close fired over the equaliser on 45 minutes the Shaw’s Road men looked to be taking over. However St John’s showed their true fighting spirit and hit back in splendid fashion with a 49th minute goal from wing half-forward Locky McCurdy to go back three ahead. Rossa introduced Martin Divine for Donal Armstrong and Adrian Murray for Paddy Rogan in an effort to kick-start their stalled engine, but to no avail, and Paul Montgomery could even enjoy the luxury of a couple of missed frees for the Johnnies.
Rossa kept battling away to the end but could only manage a single point from Noel Murray as the Corrigan Park men went on to take the honours amidst the loud approval of their faithful following.
ST JOHN’S Paddy Nugent, Aidan Darragh, Mickey Carlin, Mickey O’Neill, John Cousins, Liam Donnelly, Paul Morgan, Ronan Heenan, Fergal Collins, Paul Montgomery, Packie Nolan, Locky McCurdy, Conor McCaffrey, Donal Kennedy, Brendan McGibbon.
Subs Collie Donnelly for Packie Nolan.
ROSSA – Ray Matthews, Ciaran McDonald, Chris Condon, Brendan Murray, John Hamill, Gerard Rogan, Paddy Rogan, Jim Close, Jim Connolly, Joe O’Neill, Donal Armstrong, Joe McCaffrey, Noel Murray, Collie Murphy, Gavin Kennedy.
Subs – Martin Devine for Armstrong; Adrian Murray for P Rogan.
Referee – Billy Reid (McDermott’s)
