O'Neills Sportswear Antrim Hurling League Division One
St John's 2-13 O'Donovan Rossa 1-14
THE pendulum swung the way of St John's down the stretch as they made it two wins from two in Antrim hurling's Division One at the expense of Rosa at Corrigan Park on Sunday.
Despite the game beginning in tough conditions that deteriorated to terrible due to a pair of heavy downpours, the teams produced a fine battle that is typical of this fixture.
A fine intensity with every possession a prisoner was the order of the day, as the momentum swung, it was St John's who got that extra burst to edge ahead with Oisin MacManus punishing fouls to see them home.
MacManus would finish with 1-8 from placed ball, his goal in the first half having a bit of fortune about it, while Conor Johnston was excellent in attack as he snipped four points from open play.
For Rossa, Diarmuid Rogan was superb from both frees and placed ball, hitting nine in total, but they just couldn't push on when they grabbed a two-point lead with 10 to play in normal time.
The heavens opened just as the game began and this ensured it was a tricky afternoon, yet the exchanges were as tough and competitive as you'd expect between these rivals.
Aided by a stiff wind, Rossa flew out of the traps with midfield pair Diamond Rogan and Conall Shannon pointing in the opening minute.
Oisin MacManus got the Johnnies on the board from a 65, but the visitors continued to make the early running with Rogan and MacManus swapping points before the Rossa man added pointed frees of his own either side of a fine effort from Dara Rocks.
St John's grew into it with MacManus adding another pair of frees but they began to get their running game going with Conor Johnston notching their first from play after 17 to help them to within one.
Rogan replied with a free, but the Johnnies were in a flow, a fine move out from the back initiated by a short restart resulting Johnston clear to score and added another to level. They would then hit the front as a MacManus free dropped and ended up in the net.
But Rossa responded well to close out the half with another Rogan free, bringing his tally to six for the half, and Eoin Trainor landed a peach of a sideline to reduce the arrears to one at the short whistle with St John's leading 1-7 to 0-9.
Conditions worsened at the break as the rain poured even harder, making underfoot conditions extremely tough for both teams.
As it was, the Johnnies made the better start to the second half with Stephen Tierney splitting the posts from an acute angle on the right and it would get better as Oisin Donnelly gather in stride in traffic to cut through and bat home to put his side five up with four minutes of the second period played.
But Rossa steadied with Rogan landing from play and a free as the game became a slog for both with players losing their footing.
Rossa would then get a break on 47 minutes as Stephen Shannon sent a low ball into the forwards and although Eoghan McMenamin couldn't gather it up, the ball would end up in the net through Declan McCartney to level it.
McMenamin then hit back-to-back points to seemingly put Rossa in the driving seat, but back came St John's as Conor Johnston had a shot tipped over and MacManus landed yet another free.
He would connect with two more before Rogan replied with one of his own to leave on in it in added time, but the Johnnies' marksman converted again for what would prove to be the insurance score.
ST JOHN'S: D Creggan; O Carleton, C Morgan, C McEvoy; R McNulty, Ciaran Johnston, D McGuinness; A McMahon, S Wilson; Conor Johnston (0-4), S Tierney (0-1), O Donnelly (1-0); O MacManus (1-8, 1-7f, 0-1 65), S Shannon, R Galbraith.
Subs: D Carson for S Shannon (HT), M Dudley for R Galbraith (HT), A McGowan for C McEvoy (45), M McCartin for D McGuinness (60), J McAllister for S Wilson (60+7).
ROSSA: D Moran; O McVicker, C Orchin, N Crossan; E Trainor (0-1 sl), C McGuinness, S Shannon; D Rogan (0-9, 5f), C Shannon (0-1); E McMenamin (0-2), P Short, D Rocks (0-1); T Morgan, D McCartney (1-0), C Boyle.
Subs: N Devlin for D Rocks (55), R Murray for C Boyle (59), A McLean for C Shannon (60+6)
REFEREE: Colm McDonald (St Gall's)
