O’Neill’s Sportswear Antrim Hurling League Division 1A
O’Donovan Rossa 0-21 St John’s 1-19
A man of the match performance from Shea Shannon propelled St. John’s to a narrow win as they beat fierce rivals Rossa for a second time this season in an absorbing contest at Rossa Park.
The first game after the split hung in the balance throughout as these sides went toe to toe but it was to be the Johnnies’ night as they moved to the top of 1A as Cushendall and Loughgiel drew.
Gerard Walsh top-scored with nine for the Shaw’s Road side, while Thomas Morgan and Michael Armstrong contributed another seven between them, while Domhnall Nugent’s causing problems up front for the eventual winners with his physical presence.
Aidan McMahon got the visitors off the mark with Eoghan McMenamin replying for Rossa to get them of the mark and the home side would enjoy the better of the opening exchanges.
The hosts hit the next three through Declan McCartney, a monster Geared Walsh free and Thomas Morgan with his first of the night, but the Corrigan Park outfit remained close with Shea Shannon accurate from frees.
Rossa led 0-7 to 0-5 with Walsh thumping over his third of the evening before the hosts were warned when Ruairi Galbraith got on the end of a dropping ball, but the major was chalked off for a square ball.
Galbraith made partial amends with a point and Odhran Carleton and Thomas Morgan exchanged further points before Galbraith atoned for his earlier miss when he got the finest touch to a Sean Wilson delivery to edge the visitors ahead.
Rossa responded however with Gerard Walsh splitting the posts and then adding a free to take his contribution for the evening to five before Shea Shannon edged the Johnnies ahead once more.
It was Rossa who finished the half the stronger however as Ruairi Murray, Thomas Morgan and a superb point from Michael Armstrong moved them 0-13 to 1-8 ahead at the break.
St. John’s came strongly out of the traps at the start of the second half with Shea Shannon and Michael Dudley firing over to level the contest with just a minute gone.
Gerard Walsh replied for Rossa but the momentum was with the Corrigan side at this point in play and Shannon and Aidan McMahon replied with points to move them three in front.
Both sides traded points with Michael Armstrong adding two for the home side and Domhnall Nugent replying for the Corrigan men before Thomas Morgan broke clear to land his fourth of the evening and close the gap to the minimum.
Shannon’s 10th of the evening at the other end moved St. John’s two clear with ten minutes remaining with both sides hitting a series of wides as Rossa fought to close the gap once more.
With the game still in the balance Gerard Walsh converted a couple of frees to tie the contest once more as the game moved into time added on.
Shea Shannon became the Johnnies hero as he converted a late free but Rossa had one last chance to take something from the contest but Walsh’s free from 50 meters tailed just wide of the upright.
Rossa: C Rocks; O McVicker, C McGuinness, N Crossan; J Kerr, G Walsh (0-9, 7f), Stephen Shannon; C Orchin, C Boyle; E McMenamin (0-1), P Short, R Murray (0-1); D McCartney (0-3, 2f), T Morgan (0-4), M Armstrong (0-3).
Subs: E Trainor for T Morgan (49), B McCauley for C Boyle (59)
St. John’s: S Doherty; C McEvoy, Ciaran Johnston, O Carleton (0-1); S Wilson, C Morgan, E McGurk; A McMahon (0-2), D Nugent (0-2); S Shannon (0-11, 7f, 1 65), S Tierney, D McGuinness; M Dudley (0-1), A Bradley, R Galbraith (1-1).
Subs: D McKeogh (0-1) for D McGuinness (27), B Quinn for R Galbraith (HT), M McCartin for S Wilson (43), L Heenan for S Tierney (59).
Referee: Colm McDonald (St Gall’s)
For more of Bert Trowlen’s pics from the Rossa v St John’s game click the link below
https://myalbum.com/album/MYBxuixkQaW5MN/?invite=c9c6217f-6bdb-4366-be0d-183061196efd
