Antrim U21 Hurling Championship quarter-final
O'Donovan Rossa 1-15 Naomh Éanna 2-10
DESPITE finishing with 14 players, Rossa did enough to get over the line and into the semi-finals of the Antrim U21 Hurling Championship with victory over Naomh Éanna on Monday evening.
Midway through the second period, Diarmaid Rogan saw his penalty crash off the post and just seconds later, the hosts were dealt a double blow with Keevan Grieve shown red for an off-the-ball tangle. However, they managed to dig in and see themselves home.
The hosts had enjoyed much the better start with Corey Walsh getting through for the opening score after two minutes and this was a lead Rossa would hold for the remainder of the game.
Naomh Éanna had a few opportunities early, but a few shots tailed wide and the long ball into Frank Kane was also well dealt with by the home defence as at the other end, they cracked home the game's first goal after eight minutes.
Eoin Trainor was initially denied by Oisin O'Conghaile, but Pearce Short had the strength to gather in the resultant ruck and pop back to Trainor who this time gave the Naomh Éanna goalkeeper no chance.
Rogan then converted a 65 and a free before the visitors finally registered through Luke O'Connor 12 minutes in, yet scores from Trainor and Short appeared to put the home side in a commanding position midway through the opening period.
The Glengormley side would rally with O'Connor opting to take his point when cutting in on goal under pressure, while Malachi McGibbon opened his account from range.
Corey Walsh hit back, but Naomh Éanna would get themselves right back into it with 20 played as McGibbon dropped a free from his own half into the danger area as the sliotar broke out to the left with Kane whipping first-time to the far corner of the net.
Malachi McGibbon lines up a shot with Niall May closing in 
Trainor could have responded in kind but his shot was diverted up and over and although Rogan converted another free, Naomh Éanna would grab their second goal in the 25th minute as O'Connor sprayed a line ball across to the left flank where Ciaran McAlister had space to gather and crack home.
This left three between them and that remained the gap at the break following an exchange from Trainor and O'Connor with Rossa leading 1-10 to 2-4.
O'Connor trimmed that gap back to two within seconds of the restart, but Rossa appeared to have reasserted themselves thanks to a pair of Keevan Grieve scores.
They were cancelled out as McGibbon fired over a long free and O'Connor sent over his fifth from play before that mad minute as Rossa were given a penalty after substitute Daire Morgan was bundled over. Rogan stepped up and although he struck his effort well, it crashed off the left post. As Naomh Éanna emerged, tempers boiled over and it was Grieve immediately shown a red as things settled down.
The visitors sensed an opportunity and a Luke O'Connor 65 has the gap down to one, but crucially, Naomh Éanna couldn't get on terms as Corey Walsh hit back with his third of the evening.
It was a similar story when McGibbon landed fro deep as Rogan tapped over a free soon after as the intensity of the game rose with both teams throwing everything into it, fighting tooth and nail for possession in what had become a very entertaining affair.
However, the Rossa defence was standing tall and snuffing out anything close to goal with Conor Boyle anchoring them superbly.
Still, it was a nervy final few minutes as a McGibbon free as the game entered added time leaving the minimum in it again, but the visitors just couldn't engineer an opportunity to equalise as Rossa got clear and won a free that Rogan tapped over to seal their passage into the last four.
The night's other quarter-final saw Dunloy edge Ballycastle by 2-16 to 2-15.
ROSSA: D Boylan; B Crawford, C Boyle, B Hegarty; C Shortt, R May, D Cunningham; D Rogan (0-5, 4f, 1 65), M McKiernan; K Grieve (0-2), P Short (0-1), L McEnhill; C Walsh (0-3), E Trainor (1-3), N May.
Sub: D Morgan for D Cunningham (42).
NAOMH ÉANNA: O O'Conghaile; M McAlister, R Eager, Conor McAlister; Ciaran McAlister (1-0), M McGibbon (0-4, 2f), E Duffy; O O'Cuinn, C O'Connor; M O'Gorman, E Logue, L O'Connor (0-6, 1 65); R Bradley, F Kane (1-0), D O'Kane.
Subs: D Mackin for E Logue (HT), C McGinley for E Duffy (51), A Ashe for D O'Kane (56).
REFEREE: John O'Connor (Ballygalget)
