Perfect six for Olympic stars

Perfect six for Olympic stars

18 October 2017

BALLYNAHINCH Olympic made it six league wins out of six when they disposed of Kilmore at Robert Adams Park on Saturday.

Tormentor-in-chief for Olympic was former Rec striker Niall Murray and his hat-trick inside the first 48 minutes as good as sealed the deal for Liam Sloan’s table-toppers — who look every inch a Premier Section side, even at this stage of the season.

Olympic, who now play three at the back and employ a five-man midfield, whose sole aim is to get the ball to Murray and sidekick Nathan Jones as quickly as possible, gave early warning as to their intent.

With just two minutes on the clock the deadly duo instinctively linked up, but Ronan Holland saved well from Jones.

A minute later at the opposite end Ryan Walsh saved a stinging free kick from B J McMenamin, but Kilmore then shot themselves in the foot when they pressed the self-destruct button.

Olympic were getting purchase out of taking the scenic route to goal and played the ball out wide on a few occasions before Jones caused untold mayhem as he entered the box with four minutes gone. 

A couple of Kilmore defenders had time to clear the danger, but they took stage fright and Murray was on to the loose ball in a flash before drilling it past an exposed Holland.

Kilmore tried to retaliate, but McMenamin flashed a volley well over Walsh’s crossbar. McMenamin really was the catalyst for Kilmore and with 21 minutes gone he dovetailed beautifully down the left with Gary Stranney, but their enterprise was undone when Peter Casey got a poor contact on the end product.

Jones should have made it 2-0 in the 26th minute after Murray fed him in, but he was inexplicably off target. Murray showed him how to finish less than a minute later when he grabbed Olympic’s second goal, but at the second attempt after Holland saved his first effort.

With 36 minutes gone McMenamin carved out an opening for Shane Murray, but Walsh was perfectly placed to save well. Holland was called into action again before the end of the half, but Holland stood up bravely to tearaway Jones, who seemed certain to score.

Three minutes into the second half Kilmore were the creators of their own misfortune again. Larry McGonagle, who had already been booked, hacked at Jones as he entered the box — penalty and a red card.

Murray made no mistake from the spot to make it 3-0. 

Olympic now had the game won and the intensity of their play ped, but they were still well in command. 

Kilmore’s Shane Murray had a couple of efforts well saved by Walsh, but that was about it as the game died a death.

Stevie Noade made it 4-0 in the 82nd minute when he followed up to beat Holland after Conor Killen had did all the damage with his physicality in the box,

Kilmore Rec: R Holland, C Magee, M Miskelly, J Larkin, L McGonagle, R Deegan, S Murray, R Blaney, B J McMenamin, P Casey, G Stranney. Subs: R Slavin, E McGrattan, R McDonnell.

Ballynahinch Olympic: R Walsh, D Tate, A McClean, R Noade, J Noade, C Reid, A McLean, S Noade, N Murray, N Jones, R Molloy. Subs: C Killen, L Sloan, N McGlew.