Crumlin Star 8-1 Kilroot Rec

It was first against second on Friday night at Solitude where Crumlin Star entertained Kilroot Rec in a league fixture. With a very large crowd in attendance the home side were eager to put on a good performance and that they did with some excellent football and quality finishing on show.Kilroot started the game well but lacked fire power upfront, as when they got into the Star's final third the Star's defence of  Burns, Berne, McAlea & McDowell dealt easily with anything they could throw at them. As the first half progressed the Star began to find their rhythm and found themselves 1-0 up when Braniff & Campbell won a midfield battle to setGormley free on goal to see his effort saved by the Kilroot keeper but Sean Brown followed in to fire the Star into the lead. Soon after it was 2-0 when Mooney put Gormley through on goal again but this time the in form striker made no mistake with his finish as he dinked the ball over the oncoming keeper. Mark Mooney made it 3-0 in the 35th minute when he rose highest from a Reid corner to nod the Star into a well deserved and commanding lead going into the break.

H/T 3-0

It was all one way traffic in the second half as the Star played some lovely football and gave their counterparts another torrid 45 minutes. Sean Brown made it 4-0 when Gormley unselfishly squared the ball to him in the area and it was Gormley who made it 5-0 when Braniff set him free on goal for the prolific striker to score his 23rd of the season. Doyle, Nellis & O'Neill came on for the last quarter of the game but there was still no let up from the Ardoyne side as Doyle & Nellis both got on the score sheet with some close range finishes. Kilroot pulled a goal back near the end when their midfielder curled a nice effort of Thompson's post and into the net to give his side a consolation goal. With time running out Doyle was upended in the box by the Kilroot keeper and with the game already in the bag Thompson in goal was given his chance to score his first ever goal for the Star and that he did when he sent the keeper the wrong way to make it an emphatic 8-1 to the Star. 
The Crumlin Star players & Staff would like to thank the the large crowd in attendance on Friday with over 200 people making the effort to support their local side and will hope the great support will continue.
Next week the Star face Crumlin United away in the last 16 of the Border Cup, kick off 2:00pm

Mal Thompson scored his first ever goal for the Star on friday night.