O’Neills Sportswear Antrim Hurling League Division One
O’Donovan Rossa 2-21 Naomh Éanna 0-15
Rossa scored a timely win over Naomh Eanna at Shaw’s Road on Wednesday evening, running out decisive winners with twelve points to spare, which all but guarantees their place in the top half of the table when the league splits on Sunday.
The opening quarter suggested that this game could go either way and tied on six points apiece after just 13 minutes it looked to be a hard one to call.
However the Rossa Park men began to gain the upper hand and by the time referee Lorenzo McMullan blew the half time whistle it was clear they were firmly in charge as they outscored their opponents by 2-8 to 0-3, Thomas Morgan and Michael Armstrong grabbing the goals, to move their team into a 2-14 to 0-9 lead the break.
Eleven points in arrears as they emerged for the second half it was clear that the visitors needed a strong start to the new half, and when Dara Maguire pulled a point back inside the first minute there was renewed hope for Michael McCambridge’s men. However they missed several chances to close the gap, and when Rossa started to find the range with points from Rogan and Shannon the gap out to thirteen and it was soon clear that there was no way back for the visitors. Joe Maskey and Eoin Magurie closed the gap with points, but by this stage their team were struggling against a sharp looking Rossa side who coasted home with a dozen points to spare.
Sunday sees Rossa travel to play Ballycastle, a fixture which completes the first half of the league. A win there would give them twelve points and bring them level with leaders St John, should the Johnnies happen to slip up against Loughgiel at Corrigan Park. Of course the Shamrocks would also move to joint top should they win that game, as will the winners of the Cushendall v Dunloy game in Cushendall, so it’s all to play for this weekend.
ROSSA: C Rocks; O McVicker, C McGuinness, N Crossan; J Kerr, G Walsh (0-2f), S Shannon; C Shannon (0-1), D Rogan (0-6, 5f); R Murray (0-1), P Short (0-1), M Armstrong (1-1); D McCartney (0-3), T Morgan (1-2), E Trainor (0-4).
Subs: E McMenamin for M Armstrong (47), C Walsh for D Rogan (57), C O’Neill for R Murray (58), P Moyes for P Short (58).
NAOMH ÉANNA: M Curran; D Maguire (0-1), R Gillan, R Eager; D Magee, M McGibbon, N O’Connor (0-2); B Cormican (0-1), O Quinn; J Maskey (0-5, 4f), C O’Connor (0-1), L O’Connor (0-3); O Kennedy, O Breen, C McAllister.
Subs: E Maguire (0-1) for O Kennedy (HT), C Morgan for B Cormican (53)
REFEREE: Lorenzo McMullan (Bredagh).
