AIB Ulster Club SHC: Impressive St John's reach decider

AIB Ulster Club SHC Semi-Final

St John's 3-20 Setanta 0-12

By Maghnus Dunne at Owenbeg

53 years from their last appearance in the Ulster Hurling Championship, Antrim Champions St John's returned with an emphatic win over Donegal natives Setanta at the Derry GAA Centre of Excellence on Saturday night.

Setanta were the early scorers in the game as Bernard Lafferty and Gerard Gilmore managed to put their side two points to the good inside the opening minutes of play.

On a cold night at Owenbeg St John's took a while to get going, but once they did it was in typical fashion as they found the net when Antrim Hurler of the Year Conor Johnston fizzed an effort low and beyond Kevin Campbell in the Setanta net as the lead was switched in favour of the Johnnies.

The Belfast side looked to have found their rhythm when Oisin McManus and Shea Shannon opened their accounts and before long it looked like a chance to put clear daylight between the sides when Donal Carson was fouled and a penalty was awarded.

St John's keeper Domhnall Nugent trooped forward, but had to settle for the single point as his effort was too high despite a powerful strike.

The Johnnies kept the scoreboard ticking with scores from Michail Dudley and Conall Bohill both seeing white flags raised, but the Donegal natives were not for rolling over as Gerard Gilmore would point consecutive frees before Danny Cullen struck another to eat into their deficit.

Gilmore's free just before the half gave St John's a different team talk than they were expecting as their lead stood at just the five points with the second half leaving it in the balance.

It was as you were at the games recommencing as Gilmore sent two quick-fire frees to restore some hope for his side as a goal only separated the sides. McManus struck two fantastic points from distance as St John's finally woke up when the upset looked to become a reality.

The Antrim side got their second goal as Conor Johnston found the net after Oisin McManus and Shea Shannon caught onto a Declan Coulter loose pass. Johnston supplied the finish.

McManus continued to flourish for St John's as he pointed another free to add another to his tally.

The deal was sealed seven minutes from time when Donal Carson managed to deflect a clearance from Kevin Campbell into the back of the night for a third St John's major.

The subs rolled and the scoreboard kept ticking when McManus' 12th point of the evening added another before Enda McGurk's great score from play rounded off a fantastic evening for the Belfast outfit.

Scorers for St John's: O McManus 0-12 (9fs), D Nugent 0-2 (1f), E McGurk 0-1, M Dudley 0-1, Conall Bohill 0-1 Conor Johnston 2-0, S Shannon 0-3 (1f), D Carson 1-0

Scorers for Setanta: G Gilmore 0-8 (8fs), D Cullen 0-2, B Lafferty 0-1, R Coyle 0-1.

St John's: Domhnall Nugent; Ryan McNulty, Ronan Donnelly, Jack Bohill; Conal Morgan, Peter McCallin, Enda McGurk; Sean Wilson, Aaron Bradley; Michial Dudley, Conor Johnston, Conall Bohill; Donal Carson, Shea Shannon, Oisin McManus.

Subs: Michael Bradley for Ronan Donnelly, Dannan McKeogh for Peter McCallin, Lorcan Heenan for Donal Carson, James Wilson for Shea Shannon, Daragh McGuinness for Michial Dudley.

Setanta: Kevin Campbell; Ruairi McLaughlin, Steven McBride, Mark Callaghan; Dean Harvey, Bernard Lafferty, Declan Coulter; Conor McGettigan, Gerard Gilmore; Danny Cullen, Fionn Farren, Ruairi Campbell; Sean Ward, Josh Cronnelly McGee, Ryan Coyle

Subs: Ryan Callaghan for Mark Callaghan, Jason Patton for Bernard Lafferty, Oisin Marley for Fionn Farren.