Antrim ACFL Division One
St John's 2-11
Con Magees Glenravel 1-14
At Corrigan Park

ST John's made their return to Corrigan Park as they hosted Con Magee's Glenravel on Wednesday evening for a top-flight Antrim football clash which saw both sides play their part in a great contest and settling for a point apiece after an enthralling hour of football.

The travelling side gave a great showing in forward areas to cause a threat and opened the scoring when Harry Fyfe's close range effort floated between the posts for a score.

The Johnnies would respond in emphatic fashion after Paddy McBride thought he had an initial two-pointed effort from play waved wide, but the advantage was then called back and a free was awarded outside the arc.

McBride stepped up and powered a strong effort between the posts which saw the umpire reach for an orange flag this time, earning his side the advantage.

The game then fell into a period of chaos when it came to ball retention and control, neither side managed to really have any command over the other, but eventually Glenravel equalised when Joe Martin found space and managed to punt a score for the away side.

Shea O'Broin soon found himself close in on goal, and after some terrific skill fooled the St John's back line, but he gave himself little space to find a net-bound effort and his shortened boot over the bar kept the scoreboard ticking in favour of Glenravel.

The hosts relied on the terrific long-ranged efforts of Paddy McBride once again as the former Antrim captain struck another free for two points and levelled the game up once more.

Glenravel showed some exquisite attacking play, and a clear emphasis for control in the closing stages as Shea O'Broin managed to get another score with Harry Fyfe proving impeccable from a set-piece, scoring twice in the space of three minutes to restore a three-point lead.

Fyfe thought he had the first goal of the contest when he managed to latch onto a loose ball in the forward-line but his effort was saved in acrobatic fashion for a 65. The 65 was a magically well worked piece straight off the training park, as Eamonn Ward combined with David Higgins with the former driving into space and placing his effort over to extend lead once again to four points.

St John's did find a late score in the half through James Wilson with just three separating the sides at the sound of the small whistle, with Glenravel tallying eight scores in the first half.

The sides started the second period with an exchanged point as Conchur Adam's free was cancelled out by a terrific soaring effort from O'Broin inside the opening two minutes of the half.

St John's eventually found their goal on the 40th minute when Odhran McAuley retained possesion from Andy McGowan's pass and the forward sliced an effort outside of his right boot low and beyond O'Loan in the Glenravel net.

The away side came right back with another strike from Shea O'Broin, but the Johnnies hoped to rally after that first goal.

Conchur Adams struck a tally of scores, the first two from frees inside the 13-yard line and another score from play with a similar distance. 

A surprise of the evening was most certainly the return of hurling all-star Domnhall Nugent who made his first appearance in a long time with the big ball.

Adams turned provider and on the 50th minute he would float a great pass into the back post and his lofted ball was thumped into the back of the net by the oncoming Conal McGlade and the hosts flipped the scoreline in their favour.

The Johnnies kept their foot on the accelerator and opened up a five-point gap when Ronan Donnelly took the advice of the crowd to use his 'free effort' to plant the ball over the black spot for two-points.

O'Broin would fight back with a two of his own as the Glenravel forward took advantage of a free being brought within scoring range and after thumping a ferocious effort, it eventually landed between the uprights.

A driving run from Shea O'Broin saw the forward capitalise on the lack of Johnnies defenders, and on the cusp of the 13-yard line he cracked his effort off the back stanchion and the small travelling numbers let out a roar as parity was restored.

There was no time to spare as Brendan Toland blew his whistle for the final time and both sides were left wanting more.

St John's: Pearce Donnelly; Paddy McDiarmid, Oisin Jackson, Michael Darragh; Conor McEvoy, Christopher O'Neill, Diarmuid Brecknell; Adrian Oliver, Ronan Donnelly 0-2 (1xTP); Odhran McAuley 1-0, Paddy McBride 0-4 (2xTP), James Wilson 0-1; Conal McGlade 1-0, Andy McGowan, Conchur Adams 0-4 (3F)

Subs: Domhnall Nugent

Con Magee's Glenravel: Conleith O'Loan; Shea McAuley, Conor Carey, Niall Dickson; Luke McQuillan, Sean Higgins 0-1, Eamonn Ward 0-1; David Higgins, Calum Higgins; Harry Fyfe 0-3 (0-1F), Aidan O'Donnell, Joe Martin 0-1; Colla Ward 0-1, Shea O'Broin 1-6(1xTPf), Daire Higgins

Subs: Eamon Fyfe 0-1