O’Neills Sportswear Antrim Football League Division One
O’Donovan Rossa 0-13 St John’s 1-9
O’Donovan Rossa staged an early second half comeback on Wednesday night at Shaw’s Road to overcome the challenge of fierce rivals St. John’s in an exciting ACFL Division 1 encounter.
When the visitors recorded 1-6 without reply in a 10-minute spell either side of the break, they seemed on their way to a second victory of the season, but the hosts regrouped to come back strongly and edged out the visitors by the minimum.
Rossa dominated possession in the early stages, patiently working an opening and Conal McDonald pointed from long range.
Colm Fleming doubled the advantage from a free and Tommy Morgan hit the first of three superb first-half points to put his side three to the good after 11 minutes.
Conall McGlade finally got the visitors on their way but Rossa were well on top, dominating the breaks and were rewarded as Fleming and Morgan kicked their second scores of the evening.
A Conhuir Adams free broke the cycle but Morgan replied for the home side to make it 0-6 to 0-2 after 23 minutes, but St John’s would produce a storming end to the half to turn this game on its head.
It began with Adams converting a free and from the kick-out, Andy McGowan rose to fetch under pressure and found Ronan Quinn and a flowing move involving Conal Quinn and Conall McGlade set up Ronan Donnelly who fired to the net to bring the side’s level.
St. John’s were pushing up and winning the Rossa kick-outs and Conhuir Adams fired over, while Enda McGurk and Michael Darragh added late points to leave St John’s 1-6 to 0-6 ahead at the break.
St. John’s threatened to push on at the start of the second half as Adams kicked his fourth of the evening from a mark, three minutes after the restart and Luke Peden added another to increase the gap to five with only four minutes of the new half gone.
Amazingly they would not score again until injury time as Rossa came back strongly with Colm Fleming converting two frees and the hosts then looked in for a goal but Conor O’Neill’s fisted effort was cleared off the line.
Rossa threatened again but Eoghan Rua Lambert made a good stop to deny Colm Fleming as the home side started to take control.
They carved out another opening shortly after, but Diarmaid Rogan’s pass across goal was intercepted with Ronan Maguire lurking at the back post.
The momentum was now very much with the Rossa Park side however and points from Niall Crossan and Fleming (free) reducing the gap to one before Oisin McVicker fired over the equaliser.
Richard Gowdy restored their lead on 49 minutes to complete the comeback and their defence stood strong in the closing stages as the Johnnies looked to reply.
A Thomas Morgan free two minutes from time moved Rossa two ahead with the visitors now needing a goal but Conal Quinn’s effort sailed over for their first score in 27 minutes.
The Johnnies did have a late chances to level, but Adams and McGlade saw shots from difficult angles on the right curl outside the posts as Rossa held out for the win.
Rossa: M McEnhill; C Orchin, P Moyes, N Crossan (0-1); A Devlin, R Gowdy (0-1), R Grant; R Maguire, O McVicker (0-1); D Cunningham, T Morgan (0-4, 3f), C O’Neill; C McDonald (0-1), D Rogan, C Fleming (0-5f).
Subs: C Walsh for D Cunningham (30), R Currie for C O’Neill (54), L Carr for R Maguire (60)
St. John’s: ER Lambert; M Darragh (0-1), J Garland, E McGurk (0-1); R Hannigan, C McEvoy, R Quinn; A McGowan, D Nugent; C McGlade (0-1), S Tierney, R Donnelly (1-0); C Quinn (0-1), C Adams (0-4, 2f, 1m), L Peden (0-1).
Subs: D McKeogh for R Hannigan (HT), D King for L Peden (54)
Referee: F McCotter (Sarsfield’s)