Ulster Senior Hurling Championship
Semi-Final
St John's 3-20
Setanta 0-12
At Owenbeg GAA Centre of Excellence
ST JOHN'S claimed a Championship final berth after navigating an uncertain start to claim a runaway win against Donegal outfit Setanta.
The north-west men started brightly as Bernard Lafferty and Gerard Gilmore managed to put their side two points to the good inside the opening minutes – and in truth the Whiterock side looked rattled.
But gradually they began to assert control and once they did it was no surprise who would kickstart their scoring – Antrim Hurler of the Year Conor Johnston striking an effort low and beyond Kevin Campbell in the Setanta net as he put Johnnies in front.
Peter McCallin was dominant in the half back line on Saturday evening
Oisin McManus and Shea Shannon opened their accounts and soon after that the Johnnies had a chance to put clear daylight between the sides when Donal Carson was fouled and a penalty was awarded. Keeper Domhnall Nugent stepped up to blast his effort over the bar, but the goalminder soon added a point as his side increased their lead to five points. Shea Shannon kept the scoreboard moving in one direction.
Scores from Michael Dudley and Conall Bohill saw white flags raised again, but the Donegal natives were not for rolling over just yet as Gerard Gilmore pointed consecutive frees before Danny Cullen struck another to eat into their deficit.
Shannon struck a wonderfully elegant over-the-shoulder score to give Setanta pause for thought, but just before the half-time whistle that man Gilmore's free-taking excellence reduced the difference to five and sent the Donegal team to the dressing room with a spring in their step.
St John's will compete in an Ulster Final for the first time in over 50 years
Setanta again came out of the traps the fastest, ramping up the pressure when proceedings restarted. Gilmore sent two quick-fire frees over and suddenly just a single major separated the sides.
But McManus would prove to be the star on the night after he reignited the St John’s attacking fire with two fantastic points from distance as the Belfast side finally woke up when an upset looked to be on the cards.
The Antrim champions soon got their second goal to calm any remaining jitters and it was that man Johnston who found the net again when Oisin McManus and Shea Shannon combined to find him after a loose Declan Coulter pass. Johnston rapped the slíotar down and beyond the Setanta netminder and suddenly the writing was on the wall for Setanta.
McManus continued to shine for St John's as he pointed another free to add to his impressive tally.
Any lingering hopes of a Donegal miracle were exploded seven minutes from time when Donal Carson managed to deflect a clearance from Kevin Campbell into the back of the net for a third St John's goal.
The irrepressible McManus claimed his 12th point of the evening before Enda McGurk's cracking score gave Johnnies a 17-point lead. Whistler Barry Winters added little to no injury time to spare Setanta further punishment and the roar from the stands echoed round the Derry countryside as St John's continued their historic journey.
St John's now await to learn their semi-final opponents as fellow Division One side Portaferry take on Slaughtneil in Armagh.
St John's: D Nugent 0-2 (0-1f); R McNulty, R Donnelly, J Bohill; C Morgan, P McCallin, E McGurk 0-1; S Wilson, A Bradley; M Dudley 0-1, C Johnston 2-0, C Bohill 0-1; D Carson 1-0, S Shannon 0-3 (0-1f), O McManus 0-12 (0-9f)
Subs: M Bradley, D McKeogh, L Heenan, J Wilson, D McGuinness, M Dudley
Setanta: K Campbell; R McLaughlin, S McBride, M Callaghan; D Harvey, B Lafferty 0-1, D Coulter; C McGettigan, G Gilmore 0-8 (0-8f); D Cullen 0-2, F Farren, R Campbell; S Ward, J Cronnelly McGee, R Coyle 0-1
Subs: R Callaghan, J Patton, O Marley
Referee: Barry Winters (Tyrone)
