SHC, Quarter-Final
Rossa 0-20 (20)
St John's 2-15 (21)

A MICHAEL Bradley goal in added time gave Ryan McNulty the chance to steal the win for St John's as his last gasp point proved pivotal as the Johnnies overcame arch rivals Rossa in the Senior Hurling Championship quarter-final at Hightown on Saturday afternoon.

The Johnnies began the game as slight favourites given their better performances in the group phase which saw them edge Ballycastle to finish in second spot, whereas Rossa had just the one win to their name when they gave Carey Faugh's a hammering on the final matchday to secure their spot in the knockout phase.

Conor Johnston got proceedings underway when his effort found the white flag raised to open his account for St John's, but Deaglan Murphy and Thomas Morgan were quick to reply for Rossa.

Conor Johnston evades the Rossa defence
4Gallery

Conor Johnston evades the Rossa defence

Deaglan McCartney followed up his forward partners and put a two-point gap between the sides early on but the Johnnies turned the game back on its head when they found the first goal of the game.

Donal Armstrong made a great save initially from a Donal Carson effort but Conor Johnston was soon on hand to dispatch the loose ball and flick it into the back of the net.

The sides exchanged scores when Carson pointed but Tiarnan Murphy got his first of the afternoon but it was not long before Shea Shannon's free taking expertise would take off and give the Johnnies the edge in the opening period.

Shannon struck three 65's followed by a free from range in between scores from Murphy and Morgan for Rossa, but the Johnnies star seemed to have an accuracy of only top quality as St John's led by six as five minutes remained of the opening period which saw St John's in the ascendancy as Rossa's inability to win the second ball proved to be an achilles heel.

The Shaws Road men did see momentum shift in their favour as the half tailed when brothers Deaglan and Tiarnan Murphy pointed three times between them, before Dominic McEnhill showed some real class as he flicked the ball over his markers head when he looked to have lost room to do so.

Deaglan Murphy top scored for Rossa
4Gallery

Deaglan Murphy top scored for Rossa

Four scores at the end of the first period saw them reduce the deficit to just the two scores in favour of the Corrigan Park men in what proved a very tight affair.

Straight from the off the Johnnies found themselves bearing down on goal but Donal Armstrong was equal to Conor Johnston's effort and deflected the slíotar onto the bar falling wide for a 65'.

Shannon's first half of excellence from the dead ball was the polar opposite in the second as the Johnnies forward missed back to back frees before Tiarnan Murphy finally got the scoring underway when he reduced the Johnnies lead to just the one score.

Murphy exhibited his ability to strike frees as he levelled the game on the 37th minute but the ante was upped and Shannon pointed twice in quick succession to shake off his prior blunders and restore the St John's two point lead.

Rossa then took control of the final 15 minutes and looked hell bent on turning the tide when Stephen Beatty lashed a tremendous effort from distance with points from Murphy and Morgan in the midst of the action.

The final five minutes saw Rossa ahead by three scores after Murphy stepped up once again from a free out on the far left with the angle against him but the Jeremiah's star man was not phased and white flag was raised.

The Jeremiah's struck what looked to be the winner when Dominic McEnhill pointed from distance on the 62nd minute as their lead was extended with time on their side.

Four was the gap heading into the final moments, with the Rossa bench itching for that final whistle and when Shea Shannon struck the upright the yellow and blues held their breath only for the slíotar to fall inside the left-hand post and reduce the score to just the three.

In a real Hail Mary moment, the midfield battle saw a scrap for the ball in the final moments. If a Rossa shirt came away with the ball, the whistle would go, if it was the white and blue of St John's, a chance would remain. 

The latter wrestled the slíotar away from the battle and launched a pass into the danger area with nothing but a prayer and as luck or the powers that be would have it Mulholland in the Rossa back-line would slip and Michael Bradley would pounce as he flicked the ball beyond Armstrong in the Rossa net.

The Johnnies bench looked on as time ran close
4Gallery

The Johnnies bench looked on as time ran close

With extra-time looming both sides knew if either could get a clean effort it would seal the game and as they always seem to do on Championship days in the Saffron County St John's got it done. 

Ryan McNulty found himself in acres of space and the full-back, despite the shouts calling for the opposite, opted to shoot and his effort soared high and over the bar as the St John's bench erupted in jubilation with their opposite numbers dropping to their knees in devastation and in shock of what had just occurred at Hightown.

An evening which will no doubt sting for Rossa but for the Johnnies, they secured the sweetest victory that you can over your rivals, right at the death.

Rossa: D Armstrong; C Orchin, J Mulholland, N Crossan; G Walsh, A O'Brien 0-1, S Beatty 0-1; C McGuinness, D Rogan; D McEnhill 0-2, D McCartney 0-1, D Murphy 0-10 (0-7fs); T Morgan 0-2, E Trainor, T Murphy 0-3

SUBS: L McEnhill, J Shortt, J Close

St John's: D Nugent, R McNulty 0-1, C Johnston, J Bohill; C Morgan, P McCallin, E McGurk; S Wilson, M Dudley; O Donnelly, C Johnston 1-3, C Bohill; D Carson, S Shannon 0-8 (3x65', 0-4F), A Bradley 0-1

SUBS: M Bradley 1-1, O McManus, R Donnelly

Referee: Barry Winters (Dungannon)