Traynor is literally unstoppable when on form

Traynor is literally unstoppable when on form

30 October 2013

YET another hat-trick from Philip Traynor, his second in consecutive games, helped a much-changed Kilmore side book their place in the second round of the Intermediate Cup.

Traynor, who is just coming back to his best after a length spell out with a hamstring injury, was unstoppable in front of goal, especially in the first 31 minutes and gave the Crusaders defence a torrid time all afternoon.

Kilmore paid scant regard to Crusaders’ 4-2-3-1 formation and went about demolishing the visitors from the outset.

The game was barely two minutes old when Sean Bell slipped the ball inside to Traynor and he was immediately brought down in the box by Stavros Kekakos for a penalty. Traynor proceeded to put goalkeeper Yohann Lacroix the wrong way to make it 1-0.

The midfield combination of Bell and Joe McKinney gave Crusaders plenty to think about and they were at the hub of all Kilmore’s early pressure with Matty Hardy the recipient of all their hard work.

With 20 minutes gone Traynor’s pace took him clear and he intelligently played in Michael McKenna, but his first time effort whistled wide of the upright with Lacroix beaten.

Ten minutes later Hardy and McKinney combined to carve out an opening for Traynor and he made no mistake with a crisp left-footed shot to the net, 2-0.

A minute later Hardy bombed down the right wing and produced a peach of a pass from Traynor to run onto. Traynor was as cool as a cucumber inside the box and calmly lobbed Lacroix for a sensational goal.

Crusaders’ Aidan Watson, who comes from Killyleagh and Kilmore’s Sean Bell were then booked when the game got a bit tasty for a while, but this unsettled the home side and Mark Armstrong did well to save from the dangerous Kyle Dillon in the 43rd minute.

Dillon was quickly in the thick of things at the start of the second half, but his shot from the edge of the box in the 46th minute was tipped over by an alert Armstrong.

Five minutes later Traynor’s creativity fashioned an opening for Bell, but his strike was saved by Lacroix. Traynor and McKenna continued to pose problems for the Crusaders back four, but good defending form McAuley and McNulty kept the score at 3-0.

With 62 minutes gone McKenna latched onto a long clearance from Armstrong, but he was denied by a brilliant save from Lacroix. The visitors pulled a goal back 10 minutes later when Dillon, their best player on the day, beat Armstrong after a great cross from Stuart Macken.

Back came Kilmore and Bell had a great chance to put the game to bed when he had a shot saved by Lacroix. Crusaders finished the game in attacking mode, but Stephen Douglas, Aaron McGarry and Mark Miskelly were most impressive at the back for Kilmore.

Kilmore Rec: M. Armstrong, S. Douglas, A. McGarry, M. Miskelly, E. Curran, M. Hardy, J. McKinney, S. Bell, M. McKenna, P. Traynor, M. McGreevy. Subs: P. Telford, N. McCarthy, J. Cheevers.

Crusaders: Y. Lacroix, R. McNulty, S. Kekakos, M. O’Hanlon, C. Dempster, S. Malcolm, C. McAuley, N. Hanley, N, Hudson, A. Watson, K. Dillon. Subs: A. Watt, D. Bell, D. Kelly.

Kilmore Rec 3

Crusaders II 1

INTERMEDIATE CUP 1ST ROUND