Dromore Amateurs 0-5 Crumlin Star

It was top against bottom on Saturday as the Star played bottom side Dromore Amateurs and to be honest the gulf in class was apparent from the first whistle. Right from the off the Star knocked the ball about with confidence as the home side struggled to even get a touch of the ball. Anto Braniff came closest to breaking the dead lock in the fifth minute when he crashed his header against the post from a Sean Brown corner and the same player hit the bar from another header minutes later, this time from a Hamilton cross. The home side didn't learn from their mistakes as Braniff eventually opened the scoring with a fine header that flew into the top corner after excellent work on the left from Joe McAlea. Paul Brown & Joe Gormley where giving the home side's defense a torrid time all day and it was Gormley who got the Star's second goal midway through the half after a great cross from Dam Whelan. Any attack that the home side could muster was easily cut out by the Star's defense with Burns having an excellent game as usual. Ciaran Reid & Paul Brown both had fine efforts well saved by the home sides keeper as the half came to an end to surprisingly keep the score at 2-0.
H/T 2-0
After some refreshments at half time the Star started as they finished the first half, well on top & keeping the ball for long periods of time with some excellent passing & moving. Sean Brown got on the scoring act again when he curled an excellent free kick home from the edge of the penalty area to make it 3-0 to the Ardoyne side.The Dromore players seemed to give up after this as their heads dropped and they failed to trouble the Star in any way for the rest of the game.Gareth O'Neill made his first appearance for the firsts after replacing the excellent Joe McAlea after the hour mark. Braniff got his second goal of the day with what could be a contender for goal of the season, after about 20-30 passes as the Star played some more keep ball, the ball came to Braniff in the middle of the park, he picked out Paul Brown at the edge of the Dromore box who layed the ball into Braniff's path and the inform midfielder lashed the ball into the bottom corner from 30 yards out. Paul Brown broke his goal drought late on in the game with a well deserved goal after a tireless display up front as he poked the ball home from a Mooney cross.
Next week the Star are away to Woodvale in the Cochrane & Corry cup, Kick Off 1:30pm.

Team: Thompson, Hamilton, McAlea, Nellis, Burns, Whelan, S.Brown, Reid, Braniff, P.Brown, Gormley
Subs: Mooney, O'Reilly, O'Neill

Starman P.Brown

Pictured below is Ciaran Burns with goalscorers Anto Braniff & Paul Brown.