Bathshack Antrim Senior Hurling Championship, Group Two
St John's 1-27 O'Donovan Rossa 2-16
FOR 45 minutes at a sun-kissed Corrigan Park on Saturday and the sides level, it seemed as though this make-or-break Group Two clash between St John's and Rossa was destined to go to the wire, but the Johnnies found another gear to kick for home and seal their place in the quarter-finals.
Until that point, this had been a rip-roaring affair between the West Belfast rivals with both enjoying mini patches and delivering some superb hurling with an intensity to match.
However, it was the Johnnies who had the better weapons up front to pull away and not just grab bragging rights, but the victory they needed to remain in the championship and end Rossa's involvement.
Their defence completely shut down the Rossa attacking threat in the final quarter and their flying forwards put together scores in quick succession with Shea Shannon on point from frees, while Conor Johnston was on top form with six excellent scores as their impressive final tally told its own tale.
A tally of 28 combined scores is impressive, but they also shot 13 wides and had a penalty saved, meaning they carved out 42 shots and this stemmed from a superb defence that ended up firmly on top and used their possession brilliantly, spraying ball into the corners to allow the forwards to thrive.
However, it took a few minutes to get into stride as Rossa's decision to play the towering Pearce Short at full-forward took little time to pay off as he plucked a Michael Armstrong delivery out of the sky, turned and buried.
The visitors could have had a few more goals in the opening period but for a fine save by Simon Doherty on Eoin Trainor, a brilliant last-ditch touch from Jack Bohill to thwart Short who looked certain to get a touch to the net and Stephen Beatty saw a shot flash wide.
Conor Johnston escapes the attention of Thomas Morgan 
The visitors did maintain the lead early Onas the Johnnies grew into it with Conor Johnston taking a couple of excellent points, while Shea Shannon put scores over from play, frees and a sideline to reply to Dominic McEnhill, Trainor and Seaghan Shannon with the visitors 1-4 to 0-4 up after 10 minutes.
St John's began to eat into that gap as they rattled off five of the next six points as Arron Bradley, Michial Dudley and Conal Bohill landed to edge them ahead.
They would then strike for a goal of their own on 21 minutes as Ciaran Orchin seemed to lose the flight of Oisin Donnelly's delivery in the sun and Stephen Tierney was only too happy to profit as he had the time and space to crack home.
An exchange if points had the Johnnies 1-10 to 1-6 up but Rossa rallied with Seaghan Shannon notching three including one from play, while Thomas Morgan also got on the board, but late scores from the Johnnies' Shannon and Ryan McNulty had the hosts ahead 1-12 to 1-10 at the end of an excellent opening half.
Shea Shannon clipped over the first score of the second half for the hosts and then he had an opportunity for goal when the Johnnies were awarded a penalty for a foul on Conor Johnston, but for the second game in-a-row, Rossa goalkeeper Donal Armstrong made the save.
Still, the hosts were looking that bit sharper with five of the first six scores after the break before Rossa roared back into it as this time the sun was perhaps a pest for the St John's defence as a low ball squirted through and although Thomas Morgan's initial whipped effort came off the post, he finished the rebound. Two McEnhill scores tied it and they were level again heading into the final quarter.
Jack Bohill comes under pressure from Thomas Morgan 
It all seemed poised for a tense finish, but the Johnnies found another gear with Shannon, Johnston, Dudley and Donal Carson on target and although Michael Armstrong hit back for one for Rossa, their scores had dried up as after one final exchange, the hosts finished with a flourish as Shannon brought his tally to 11, Johnston to six and Bohill with his second to seal a superb evening for the Corrigan Park men.
ST JOHN'S: S Doherty; J Bohill, Ciaran Johnston, S Wilson; R McNulty (0-1), P McCallin, C Morgan; A McGowan, M Dudley (0-4); O Donnelly, Connor Johnston (0-6), C Bohill (0-2); S Shannon (0-11, 9f, 1 sideline), S Tierney (1-0), A Bradley (0-2).
Subs: D Carson (0-1) for A McGowan (HT), D McGuinness for S Tierney (47), R Galbraith for O Donnelly (59), O MacManus for A Bradley (60).
ROSSA: D Armstrong; C McGuinness, C Orchin, C Boyle; Stephen Shannon, G Walsh (0-1), C Shannon; D McCartney, E Trainor (0-2); S Beatty, M Armstrong (0-1), T Morgan (1-1); D McEnhill (0-3), P Short (1-0), Seaghan Shannon (0-8, 6f, 1 65).
Subs: N Crossan for C Shannon (53), J Connolly for P Short (53), D Rogan for Seaghan Shannon (58), J Kerr for C Boyle (59)
REFEREE: Mark O'Neill (Armoy)
