St Johns seal final spot with magnificent seven in Hannahstown

JP Corry U-21 Antrim B Hurling semi final

Lámh Dhearg 2-5-7-17 St Johns

Kevin Herron reports from Hannahstown

ST JOHNS cruised into the final of the U-21 B Hurling Championship with a 7-17-2-5 win over Lámh Dhearg at Hannahstown on Wednesday evening.

Off the back of their quarter-final derby win over St Pauls and a preliminary round victory over Con Magee’s, the Johnnies headed to Hannahstown full of confidence of booking their place in the decider despite being down in numbers due to holiday commitments.

For the hosts, it was their first Championship outing, with their quarter final clash against Tir na Nog one of the two quarter finals that was conceded- along with the evening’s other semi final, meaning that Sarsfields were lying in wait for the victors.

Lámh Dhearg were first to register a score through Adam Murray’s converted free inside of two minutes, but the Johnnies hit the game’s opening goal within sixty-seconds through a Fintan McKinney strike.

The visitors first point arrived after Calum Fegan-Lappin made an outstanding save to St Johns their second goal and Lewis Rafferty popped over, shortly afterwards Lorcan McCallin combined with Fintan McKinney and he added to his earlier goal with a point.

An angled Donal Martin point would be his side’s last in ten minutes as St Johns conjured another 2-1 without reply to surge clear.

Daire King’s shot took a deflection and Lewis Rafferty was on hand to touch the ball home from close range and by the 10th minute a third goal had arrived courtesy of a powerful low drive from Ronan Donnelly to make it 3-2-0-2.

Donnelly extended his sides with a point after a seven-minute scoreless period, though Lámh Dhearg gave themselves the slightest glimmer of hope when Dylan Fegan turned the ball home from close range from Donal Martin’s cut-back.

It would be the Lámhs final score of the half as the Johnnies landed five-unanswered scores before the short whistle.

A converted free from Lewis Rafferty started their late scoring burst, the rest came from play as James Wilson opened his account, goal scorers Donelly and Rafferty further increased their personal tallys and Ollie Gregory added another before the half was out as their side were in comfortable control, leading 3-8-1-2.

The sides traded early frees through Adam Murray and Lewis Rafferty after the restart though St John’s efficiency showed no signs of letting up.

Ronan Donnelly laid the ball off to Lorcan McCallin to strike his first score of the evening and Lewis Rafferty then landed his fifth point of the night and third from play.

Lámh Dhearg scores were few and far between with Donal Martin popping over his second of the evening ahead of two quickfire goals that further stretched the gulf between the sides.

With a quarter of an hour remaining Ronan Donnelly grabbed his second of the evening with a low bullet of a shot and within 60-seconds Daire King flashed home number five for the Corrigan outfit.

Back-to-back Lewis Rafferty frees was followed by Rafferty’s second goal of the evening in the 52nd minute and Daire King followed up with his first point of the contest.

Lámh Dhearg would find scant consolation in the form of a second goal with five minutes to play.

Adam Murray went low from a free, the ball was partially cleared as far as younger brother Matthew and flashed a fine shot in off the underside of the bar to make it 6-14-2-4.

60-seconds later and St Johns had claimed their magnificent seven from the spot, with Lewis Rafferty powering home his third goal of proceedings from the spot.

The sharpshooting Corrigan outfit finished with points from Ronan Donnelly, Fintan McKinney and James Wilson, in reply Adam Murray dropped over the final score of night as St Johns ran out comprehensive 7-17-2-5 winners at the conclusion and will meet Sarsfields in final Wednesday evening after the Paddies received a walkover to the final following St Galls withdrawl.

LÁMH DHEARG: C Fegan-Lappin, F Clenaghan, R Allingham-Groves, E Kelly, D McConville, T Lee, C Camlin, M Murray (1-0), R Webb, D Quinn, A Murray (0-3, 0-2f), A Brady, D Fegan (1-0), O Lee, D Martin (0-2). SUBS: C Herron for D McConville (36), C Thomspon for E Kelly (47).

ST JOHNS: J Cunningham, F McElory, M Darragh, D Mervyn, O Quinn, E McGurk, L McCallin (0-1), J Wilson (0-2), F McKinney (1-2), O Gregory (0-1), R Donnelly (2-3), C Darragh, D King (1-1), C McKinney, L Rafferty (3-7, 1-4f). SUBS: D McKenna for O Quinn (44), M McCorry for C McKinney (57).

REFEREE: Ray Matthews (ROSSA)