O'Neills Antrim Hurling League Division One
Naomh Éanna 1-15 O'Donovan Rossa 1-18

A Pearce Short goal eight minutes from time was the decisive score as Rossa emerged with victory over Naomh Éanna in a well-contested game at Hightown on Wednesday.

It had been nip and tuck for most of the second period until that goal which gave the West Belfast side a bit of a gap and although the hosts threw everything they had in an effort to snatch a late goal to level, Rossa managed to hold firm to ensure they remain on top of Division One.

Naomh Éanna made a flying start with Niall O'Connor and Joe Maskey, back in club colours after the inter-county campaign, landed points.

Deaglan Murphy got Rossa off the mark from a free, but the hosts were flying early and points from Cormac Jennings and Frank Kane would follow.

But Rossa grew into it as a hat-trick of scores from Murphy - one from play - levelled it before they kicked on with points from James Connolly, Eoghan McMenamin and Seaghan Shannon.

Maskey ended a barren 17 minutes for the hosts from a free after they had drilled a number of wides, but McMenamin and Murphy hit back at the other end.

The Glengomley outfit had a sight of goal late in the half but Brendan Cormican whipped wide from close range as Rossa went in at the break with a 0-10 to 0-6 lead after Jennings and Murphy traded late scores.

Murphy extended the lead from a free early in the second period, but the hosts would grab the goal they needed to ignite their charge as Ruairi Donaghy got onto a long delivery and although he was initially snuffed out, managed to regather and create the space to crack home.

Cormac Jennings followed with a point and although Murphy responded at the other end, momentum was with the Glengormley side as Maskey, O'Connor and Luke O'Connor all landed to edge their team back ahead.

Points from Murphy and Joe Mulholland tipped the balance back towards Rossa, but Donaghy levelled again from a free.

It was all to play for heading into the final quarter, with Murphy hitting three of the next four points from placed balls, while he was denied a goal by Niall McGivern.

However, that goal would come in the 52nd minute as a Mulholland shot dropped with McGivern batting it down, but Short was alert to the break as he finished to the net.
Donaghy and James Connolly swapped points, but another Donaghy free and Carmac Jennings' fourth from play left a goal in it.

Naomh Éanna sent in a number of high balls to try and engineer a levelling goal, but couldn't breach the visitors' defence and appeals for a penalty when Donaghy's route to goal was blocked went unheeded with Eoin Conlon's frustrations getting the better of him as he was dismissed for back chat in the dying embers with Rossa holding out for the win.

NAOMH ÉANNA: N McGivern; R Eager, D Maguire, O Ó Quinn; E Conlon (0-1), N O'Connor (0-2), M McGibbon; C O'Connor, C McAlister; R Donaghy (1-3, 0-3f), M Mullan, J Maskey (03, 1f); F Kane (0-1), C Jennings (0-4), B Cormican.
Subs: D Maguire for M Mullan (HT), L O'Connor (0-1) for B Cormican (35), R Gillan for F Kane (49), E O'Connor for O Ó Cuinn (53)

ROSSA: D Armstrong; O McVicker, C Orchin, N Crossan; C McGuinness, G Walsh, A O'Brien; J Mulholland (0-1), E Trainor; S Shannon (0-1), P Short (1-0), D Rogan; E McMenamin (0-2), J Connolly (0-2), Deaglan Murphy (0-12, 9f, 1x65).
Subs: Daire Murphy for D Rogan (43), T Morgan for S Shannon (43), L Carr for E Trainor (56), C Walsh for Deaglan Murphy (60+1)

REFEREE: Piarais McCaffrey (St Gall's)

Wednesday's results
O'Neills Antrim Hurling League Division One
Portaferry 2-20 Ballygalget 2-18
St John's 1-20 Ballycran 0-23
Naomh Éanna 1-15 O'Donovan Rossa 1-18
Loughgiel 3-14 Dunloy 0-25
Ballycastle 0-22 Cushendall 1-21

O'Neills Antrim Hurling League Division Two
Cloughmills 0-21 Loughgiel II 3-21 (Tuesday)
Glenariffe 0-12 Cushendun 4-19
Carryduff 2-23 Bredagh 1-19
Clooney Gaels 0-20 Sarsfield's 3-17
Tír na nÓg 2-16 Creggan 3-11
St Gall's 1-24 St Paul's 1-14
Glenarm 2-15 Carey 0-20

O'Neills Antrim Hurling League Division Three
Ballycastle II 0-13 Cushendall II 2-14
Davitt's 0-13 Gort na Móna 3-13
Armoy 2-22 Glenravel 2-14
Naomh Éanna II 2-6 Lámh Dhearg 7-21
Rasharkin 2-22 Dunloy II 2-24

O'Neills Antrim Hurling League Division Four
All Saints, Ballymena 3-21 St Paul's II 5-7
Belfast Saints 3-9 St Brigid's 1-15
O'Donovan Rossa II 5-23 Loch Mór Dál gCais 0-11
Latharna Óg 2-19 Glenarm II 1-9

O'Neills Antrim Football League Division Three
St Malachy's 3-16 Wolfe Tones 0-6
Éire Óg 0-10 Ardoyne 0-18