Bathshack Senior Hurling Championship Group 1
Rossa 1-16-0-20 St Johns
From Kevin Herron at Rossa Park
Michael Bradley’s point with the last puck of the game ensured that St Johns claimed the derby spoils after a tightly contested 0-20-1-16 win over derby rivals Rossa on the Shaws Road this afternoon.
Rossa were in control of the majority of proceedings and led 0-10-0-06 at the interval but the Johnnies began the second period of the front foot the closed the deficit to a single score before the only goal of the game arrived through Deaglan Murphy.
St Johns responded positively again and took the lead for the first time deep into normal time at the end of the second-half through a Shea Shannon free.
James Connolly appeared to have salvaged a share of the spoils for Rossa deep into injury-time but referee Darren McKeown allowed the Johnnies one last attack and Bradley conjured up the final score- with no time for Rossa to respond.
There was a lot of anticipation ahead of the west Belfast derby on a warm afternoon on the Shaws Road and it was Rossa who drew first blood through a Dominic McEnhill point.
The Johnnies restored parity as Conall Bohill claimed a puck-out close to the side-line and burst forward before popping the ball over the bar.
James Connolly converted back to back frees and a further points from play through Michael Armstrong and Dominic McEnhill saw Rossa charge into a 0-05-0-01 lead.
Oisin Donnelly emerged from a ruck and floated the ball over the bar to quell Rossa’s momentum- though James Connolly converted his third free of the half after Deaglan Murphy was felled and Murphy himself angled over a point in the aftermath.
The next four scores were then equally shared between the sides, Shea Shannon twice closed the deficit courtesy of converted frees but Thomas Morgan and Stephen Beatty responded on each occasion.
Rossa moved six-points ahead with half-time looming as Connolly confidently knocked over his fourth free of the half, but St Johns would end the first-half on the front foot as Shannon evaded heavy pressure from Ryan O’Neill and got his angles right to claim his first from play.
Shannon then converted his third free of the first-half to close the deficit at the break as St Johns trailed Rossa 0-10-0-06.
St Johns picked up where they left off at the end of the opening half with a long range Domhnall Nugent free followed up by another from Shea Shannon.
James Connolly was on-hand to float over his fifth placed ball of the afternoon before scores from Conor Johsnton and Aidan McMahon left the bare minimum between the sides 10 minutes into the second-half (0-11-0-10).
St Johns were about to suffer at set-back however as the Whiterock side conceded the only goal of the game on 41 minutes with Deaglan Murphy shaking off an earlier ankle knock to rifle to the net and move his side 1-11-0-10 to the good.
James Connolly extended the lead through a free shortly after and St Johns had work to do once again.
Substitute Micheal Dudley started pointed to start a revival with Conor Johnston getting on the act shortly after. A third point on the spin followed through Shea Shannon – but Dominic McEnhill angled over a point in response to leave Murphy’s goal the difference.
Conor Johnston combined with Michael Bradley and Dudley popped over his second of the half to make it a one-point game yet again.
A converted Gerard Walsh free temporarily broke the Johnnies momentum- it was short lived though as back to back Bradley points had the sides on terms at 1-14-0-17.
For the first time in the game St Johns had their noses in front on the 56th minute as Shea Shannon successful converted a 65’.
Stephen Beatty drew his side level though after bursting forward and floating the ball between the posts.
Two-minutes into injury-time Shea Shannon landed his fifth free of the afternoon but James Connolly landed his seventh from the same scenario and a share of the spoils was on the cards.
Although with the last attack on the game St Johns landed a knock-out blow with Bradley letting fly with a shot that the umpires adjudged to have sailed between the posts.
Darren McKeown sounded his full-time whistle in the immediate aftermath and emotions were contrasting – Rossa crestfallen but St Johns jubilant having down enough to take the spoils at the home of the rivals.
Rossa: D Armstrong, R O’Neill, N Crossan, S Shannon, G Walsh (0-01f), D McEnhill (0-03), A O’Brien, J Connolly (0-07f), S Beatty (0-02), D Murphy (1-01), M Armstrong (0-01), S Shannon, T Morgan (0-01), D Rocks, A Orchin. Subs: C Shannon for T Morgan (29), M McGreevy for D Rocks (35), T Murphy for D McEnhill (53), M Devlin for A Orchin (60+2).
St Johns: D Creggan, S Wilson, S McCrory, J Bohill, C Morgan, D Nugent (0-01f), P Nugent, A McGowan, A McMahon (0-01), C Bohill (0-01), C Johnston (0-03), O Donnelly (0-01), S Shannon (0-08, 0-05f, 0-01 65’), M Bradley (0-03), P McCallin. Subs: R McNulty for P Nugent (HT), M Dudley (0-02) for O Donnelly (42), CJ McKenna for C Bohill (60), S Tierney for A McGowan (60+2).
Referee: Darren McKeown (St Galls)
