Northern Switchgear Antrim Senior Football Championship, Group One
St John's 0-12 O'Donovan Rossa 0-9
A STRONG second half saw St John's get their Championship campaign off to a good start as they overcame old rivals, Rossa at Corrigan Park on Wednesday evening.
It was looking good for the visitors who led by one at the break and also held a numerical advantage when Johnnies' goalkeeper Padraig Nugent was shown a straight red for what appeared to be a strike on Stephen Beatty, but they lost their way in the second period where they were forced to plays 10 minutes with 14 after Gerard Walsh picked up a black card.
The introduction of Domhnall Nugent at the break seemed to give St John's a better structure in attack as they had an outlet having spent the first half running up blind alleys and were fortunate to be just one behind as Rossa passed up a number of scoring opportunities.
However, the hosts began to get to grips with their rivals as the second period progressed, winning much more around the middle as some poor decision making saw Rossa fail to take advantage of the extra man.
Domhnall Nugent, pictured with Rossa's Michael Armstrong after the match, had a huge influence on Wednesday night's game as St John's claimed a 0-12 to 0-9 win over their rivals
To say this game was a slow burner would be an understatement as the sides were level at 0-1 apiece by the first half water break with Patrick McBride kicking a free in the opening minute, while Rossa just couldn't get their shots on target with a host of chances either flying wide or dropping short.
They did also crack the post when shooting for points on a couple of occasions, the second of which led to their opening point 15 minutes in when Sean Pat Donnelly's effort came back off the upright and was recycled back to Dominic McEnhill who tied the game.
The teams traded quick scores as the game resumed through Conal Quinn and Thomas Morgan, with the intensity high and challenges fierce.
Yet, on 22 minutes, after Beatty had clattered into Nugent as a shot dropped short, the St John's goalkeeper retaliated and while referee Kevin Parke let the play continue, he was alerted by his umpires and after consultation, flashed red to the St John's goalkeeper, with Pearse Donnelly moving from full-back to deputise between the sticks.
Rossa were on top but they could only out-score the hosts by three to two for the remaining minutes of the half with points from play by Michael Armstrong, Cormac McGettigan and McEnhill, with a pair of McBride frees keeping the hosts hanging on their coattails with the score 0-5 to 0-4 at the half.
An early Thomas Morgan score in the second half appeared to suggest Rossa would kick on and after McBride responded with yet another free, Eoghan McMenamin kicked a beauty with the outside of his boot from the right.
However, slowly but surely St John's started to take charge with Rossa now beginning to struggle going forward with misplaced passes helping the hosts to grow in confidence and the influence of Domhnall Nugent began to tell as he took a high ball down and fed Conor Johnston to score before slinging over the equaliser from downtown with the aid of the post.
With Cormac McGettigan forced off with a head injury, the Rossa midfield also began to struggle and McBride was able to dart in from the left to curl over one from play to give the Johnnies the lead.
Morgan tied it up, but Rossa were to suffer a blow on the stroke of the water break as Walsh was sin-binned for trailing down Andy McGowan.
With Rossa now also with 14 from minutes 48 to 58, St John's made their move and after McBride edged them back ahead from a free, a pair of excellent scores by Conall Bohill - the first a monster effort from deep - put daylight between the teams.
Walsh did return to kick a point and leave two in it, but Nugent would make another big play as he claimed a mark when stretching out to his left and sent the kick between the posts.
Rossa needed a goal with the game in stoppage time, but the chance just didn't appear as St John's claimed the points.
ST JOHN'S: P Nugent; C Garland, P Donnelly, J Bohill; C McEvoy, S Tierney, R Hannigan; S McDonagh, C Bohill (0-2); P McBride (0-6, 5 frees), C Johnston (0-1), A McGowan; D Bellew, M Fitzpatrick, C Quinn (0-1).
Subs: A Oliver for R Hannigan (24), D Nugent (0-2, 1 mark) for D Bellew (HT), C Kelly for A McGowan (52).
ROSSA: M Byrne; P Moyes, C McGuinness, C Orchin; R Gowdy, M Armstrong (0-1), M Mallon; C McGettigan (0-1), G Walsh (0-1); T Morgan (0-3), SP Donnelly, C Fleming; E McMenamin (0-1), D McEnhill (0-2), S Beatty.
Subs: J Cooley for P Moyes (HT), S Shannon for C McGettigan (head injury 42), R Currie for C Fleming (56), D Grego for E McMenamin (56), R Murray for T Morgan (60), L Carr for C Orchin (60+2).
REFEREE: Kevin Parke (Naomh Éanna)
