Kilmore survive O’Connor treble

Kilmore survive O’Connor treble

30 January 2013 - by BY CHARLIE McSTAY

SPECTATORS at Robert Adams Park on Saturday certainly got good value for their money when the goals rained in during a compelling Amateur League Premier Section encounter between Kilmore Rec and Dromara Village.

Dromara’s Declan O’Connor may have gone home with the match ball after bagging a sublime hat-trick, but it was Kilmore who took three priceless points in their quest for league honours.

Both sides were missing key players, but it was Kilmore who held the early advantage with Mark Holland, Eoin Curran and Andy Telford all getting in good efforts that went over the bar.

All that changed in the 17th minute when O’Connor almost struck gold at the other end when he warned Kilmore of his peril. The big striker, who gave a virtuoso performance up top, latched on to a long clearance, but his stinging strike from inside the box was brilliantly saved by Michael McKenna.

O’Connor continued to give the Rec back four the jitters every time he went near the ball and he rocked the home support in the 24th minute when he raced away from Johnny Cheevers and Holland before planting the ball wide of McKenna to give his side the lead.

Kilmore retaliated immediately and drew level less than 60 seconds later when Andy Telford received the ball back from brother Peter and beat stand-in goalkeeper, Aaron Thompson, when he blasted his shot straight at the custodian.

Andy Telford almost gave Kilmore the lead five minutes later when he ended a mazy run with a shot that went perilously close and Curran was denied a certain goal in the 30th minute by a brave save from Thompson.

Dromara remained a threat on the counterattack and Darren Munce had a goal ruled out for offside in the 37th minute as the first half finished 1-1.

The second half was barely a minute old when Cheevers felled O’Connor in the box and the referee immediately pointed to the spot with O’Connor restoring Dromara’s lead with a well taken penalty.

Stung by this, Kilmore went on the warpath and netted four goals in a manic 20 minute period, including two goals in as many minutes.

Peter Telford slammed in the equaliser in the 52nd minute and two minutes later John McCarthy gave Kilmore a 3-2 lead after his initial shot was brilliantly saved by the unlucky Thompson.

There was some controversy about this goal as Dromara claimed that McCarthy kicked the ball out of Thompson’s hands before he netted. Peter Telford made it 4-2 in the 58th minute after good work from Curran and five minutes later Karl Lewis finished with aplomb after Peter Telford had carved out the opening.

Dromara refused to throw in the towel and O’Connor was rewarded for his industry when he completed his hat-trick in the 90th minute.

Kilmore Rec: M. McKenna, S. Douglas, M. Miskelly, M. Holland, J. Cheevers, K. Lewis, A. Baggley, J. McCarthy, E. Curran, P. Telford, A. Telford. Subs: J. Larkin, M. Hardy, N. McCarthy.

Dromara Village: A. Thompson, T. O’Neill, L. Hogan, J. Girvan, M. O’Gorman, D. McKiernan, P. Johnston, G. Rooney, D. O’Connor, S. McDonnell, D. Munce. Subs: G. Allen, P. McDonagh, N. Hamilton.