O’Neills Sportswear Antrim Hurling League Division One
O’Donovan Rossa 0-25 St John’s 0-17
Rossa powered their way to an impressive eight point win over old rivals St John’s in Wednesday evening’s Division 1 Hurling League game at Rossa Park. Trailing by a point at the break the Shaw’s Road side really got into their stride in the second period and pulled away to win their second game in a row.
The early exchanges were evenly matched with teams trading points at either end, but two in a row from the Johnnies midfielder Mick Bradley gave his team a two point lead. Aodhan O’Brien, who finished the game with 11 points to his name, kept the scoreboard turning for the home side, and Mick Bradley did the same for St John’s, and it was a Bradley point from distance just before the break that gave the visitors a slender half time lead of 0-9 to 0-8.
Michael Bradley was in impressive form at midfield for St John’s
Aaron Bradley increased the Johnnies lead just after the restart but with the breeze and the slope in their favour Rossa began to gain the upper hand, and points from Pearce Short and Aodhan O’Brien soon had them level. Michael Bradley was leading the line for the Corrigan Park men, and two points by the midfielder kept his team very much in touch. Eventually though the Rossa pressure was starting to pay dividends and three without reply from Shannon, O’Brien and last week’s football derbry hero Stephen Beatty saw the gap begin to open.
St John’s were staying in touch and points from Aaron Bradley and Jordan McAllister closed the gap going into the last ten minutes. However they needed a goal to get something out of the game and the Rossa defence held firm. At the other end Rossa continued to find the target and points from Morgan, Beatty and the impressive Eoin Trainor fired over to seal the win
ROSSA: D Armstrong; C Shannon (0-2), C McGuinness, C Boyle; P Short (0-1), Stephen Shannon, R Murray; C Orchin, E Trainor (0-3, 1 sideline); Seaghan Shannon, S Beatty (0-2), A O’Brien (0-11, 8 frees, 1 65); D Rocks (0-1), E McMenamin (0-2) T Morgan (0-3).
Subs: J Kerr for R Murray (37), D Rogan for D Rocks (50).
ST JOHN’S: D Cregan; M Darragh, P McCallin, D McCallin; S Wilson, D Nugent, J Bohill; A Bradley (0-7, 4 frees), M Bradley (0-4); J McAllister (0-1), N McCallin (0-2, 1 free), CJ McKenna (0-2); R Galbraith (0-1), L Loughlin, L McCurdy.
Subs: O Donnelly for P McCallin (46), S Maxwell for L Loughlin (53), S Hughes for M Bradley (60).
REFEREE: Barry Winters (Dungannon)
