By Niall Gartland

SUNDAY, October 19, 2025 – the day St John’s bridged a 52-year-gap and landed their eighth-ever Antrim Senior Hurling Championship.

Conor Johnston has known more than his fair share of heartache down the years: one crushing semi-final defeat after another in the more agonising of circumstances, but this time was different.

They dethroned the mighty Ruairi Ógs in the semi-final, ending a 31-year wait for an appearance in the blue ribbon showpiece, and they weren’t about to let the opportunity pass.

The Corrigan Park-based club made no mistake on a historic day against Loughgiel, and Johnston said the years of toil have been all worth it.

“Jesus, I think it was eight or nine years of semi-final defeats. We had four extra-time defeats, and two last-minute goals, so there’s been an awful lot of heartache, but when the whistle went on Sunday, it was all worth it.

“At times we thought was it ever going to happen – that we’ve finally won it, is just down to the pure resilience of the lads. We just said, when we got our chance, we’ll take it – once we got through the semi-final door, we’re going to kick it down.”

It’s been a hugely emotional week in the best possible sense for all involved with St John’s, particularly the old-timers in the club who have waited so long for this.

Johnston said: “There were grown men crying, that I’ve never seen in my life crying. They thought they’d never see the day.

“There’s men who have soldiered through the club for so many years – there’s been final defeats as well. Before 1994 there was 1991 so they’ve experienced the heartache too. They said Sunday was the happiest day of their lives.”

Last year there was yet more devastation at the semi-final stage as they fell short against Cushendall. They could’ve dropped the heads, but they knew if they put their shoulders to the wheel, they could get over their hoodoo and reach the Promised Land.

“Gerard (Cunningham) came in and didn’t really change much. This year we just needed to be ready if we came up against Cushendall again. We needed to be resilient, and we were.

“It’s about doing the work and having the confidence, the belief. We probably just needed a wee bit of luck, we were knocking on the door and I think this year it was the right time and right place and we’ve finally done it.”