O'Neills Sportswear Antrim Football Division One
O'Donovan Rossa 3-9 St John's 1-10
GOALS proved the difference for Rossa at home turf on Wednesday as they struck three majors to help overcome St John's and claim a vital two points in their bid to avoid the drop from Division One.
The hosts led at the half by one of those majors through Colm Fleming, and hit another two in the second period to give them breathing space and although the visitors found the net late on, there was enough daylight between the teams at this stage to ease the hosts' nerves.
Both sides created enough opportunities but the finishing on the night was off at times, yet that will matter little to Rossa who have remained out of the drop zone that is now sitting with Naomh Éanna bottom and St Gall's and Tír na nÓg one point above following their draw, while Moneyglass and St Brigid's are both one further ahead following the Biddies' win between them.
Rossa couldn't have asked for a better start as within the first minute, an attack at pace saw Thomas Morgan thump a shot that came down off the underside of the crossbar and Colm Fleming was alert to rise and punch the rebound to the net.
Both sides were carving chances but not converting with the Johnnies off the mark five minutes in through a Conchur Adams free, but Rossa enjoyed the better of it early on as Morgan and Niall Crossan kicked points, while Eoghan McMenamin did brilliantly to split the uprights from the rightest of anglers on the right.
Colm Fleming found the net early for Rossa 
Adams kicked a free in reply, but St John's would lose Andy McGowan for 10 minutes as he was black-carded for trailing down Gerard Walsh.
The hosts were unable to do anything with their temporarily numerical advantage, however, as the Johnnies pulled another back through Conal McGlade who curled over well, but while they were looking menacing when going forward, they couldn't convert with a host of wides and shots short.
Dominic McEnhill ended a barren 16 minutes for the hosts with a pointed free win stoppage time and while Conor Johnston responded instantly, it was Rossa leading 1-4 to 0-4 at the half.
The sides traded early points after the break through Crosan and Conor Hand, but while Rossa were now carving out the chances, they were unable to convert until the 41st minute when a break from the back resulted in Dominic McEnhill playing Thomas Morgan in to blast to the net.
McEnhill converted a free midway through the second period to extend the gap to seven, but St John's suddenly clicked into gear in attack and began to eat into the lead with Hand curling over another excellent point and then another after Conor Johnston and McGlade had raised white to leave just three in it with six to play.
The home nerves were eased when goalkeeper Mick Byrne landed a 45 and then as the game ticked into stoppage time, Jack Morris fed Gerard Walsh whose drop-kick took a deflection and spun up into the net.
Johnston replied with a point that was cancelled out by McEnhill from a mark and although St John's substitute Conal Gough got the final touch to the net from a low effort by Hand, McEnhill kicked a late free as Rossa took the win they needed.
At the other end of the table, Portglenone's lead at the top was halved by Cargin who are still in with a chance of the title as the Erin's Own men took the win at Kelly Park.
The Division Two title went to Glenravel who were winners at Davitt's, while Aldergrove - joint-top before this evening - finish second following their draw at Ballymena.
ROSSA: M Byrne (0-1, 45); N Crossan (0-2), C McGuinness, J Morris; M McEnhill, R Gowdy, R Grant; G Walsh (1-0), E McMenamin (0-1); D Grego, C McGettigan, D McEnhill (0-4, 3 frees, 1 mark); C Fleming (1-0), T Morgan (1-1), M Mallon.
Sub: M Close for M McEnhill (46)
ST JOHN'S: P Nugent; C Garland, J Bohill, C Dyson; Ciaran Johnston, A McGowan, S Wilson; R McNulty, P McBride; S Tierney, Conor Johnston (0-3), C Hand (0-3); O MacManus, C Adams (0-2, both frees), C McGlade (0-2)
Subs: C Gough (1-0) for C Adams (42), B Neeson for S Wilson (46), L Heenan for O MacManus (56)
REFEREE: Cathal McDermott (Tír na nÓg)
Wednesday's results
Division 1A
Lámh Dhearg 2-8 Creggan 1-8
Portglenone 0-15 Cargin 2-11
Ahoghill 0-15 Aghagallon 2-10
Division 1B
Moneyglass 1-18 St Brigid's 1-19
O'Donovan Rossa 3-9 St John's 1-10
Tír na nÓg 2-6 St Gall's 2-6
Division 2A
Gort na Móna 0-15 Glenavy 2-6
All Saints, Ballymena 2-11 Aldergrove 2-11
Davitt's 2-7 Glenravel 1-15
Division 2B
St Teresa's 2-11 Sarsfield's 2-11
St Paul's 4-12 Dunloy 4-11
Ardoyne 4-11 St Patrick's, Lisburn 0-10
Division Three
Na Piarsaigh 1-14 St Agnes' 1-6
Wolfe Tones 1-10 St Malachy's 3-21
Rasharkin 0-10 O'Donnell's 1-12
St Comgall's 8-17 Éire Óg 1-4
