The Star produced an excellent display of quality football & deadly finishing as they swept aside West Belfast outfit Iveagh United at Richardson Park on Saturday. After last weeks below power performance Eamonn Hawkins had his troops well fired up for this one as he gave his players a stern talking to before the game which no doubt worked as the Star started like a house on fire, putting the home side's defence under some intense pressure early on. After a couple of penalty claims turned away & some half chances going astray the Star finally got their just rewards in the 10th minute when Sean O'Reilly broke down the left flank and crossed for Ciaran Reid to fire home at the back post. A scrappy ten minute spell soon after let the home side draw level when Iveagh's right midfielder found space at the edge of the box and curled a delightful effort into the top corner. The home side's resurgence was short lived though, as straight from the kick off Joe Gormley danced round three players and played a neat one two with Sean Brown for Gormley to poke the ball past the oncoming keeper and put the Star straight back into the lead. This time there would be no way back for Iveagh as the Star started to play some cracking football and created chances at will. Sean Brown got on the scoring act when Reid & McDowell worked well together down the line for the latter to cross the ball into the path of Brown who made no mistake with his finish to make it 3-1 to the Star. Just before the break Gormley put the game well beyond Iveagh when a Braniff through ball sent the big striker clear on goal and to everyone's surprise Gormley brilliantly lifted the ball over the stranded keeper and into the back of the net from the most acute angle.

H/T 1-4

It was as you were in the second half as the Star started of well on top again and in the 47th minute McDowell somehow found space out in the right and crossed for Brown to score from close range as the league leaders began to flex their muscles. Iveagh's troubles went from bad to worse when O'Reilly got to a through ball before the home side's keeper but as he cut in towards goal the big keeper cut him down just outside the box with a horrible tackle and was shown a straight red card. Mooney, Taylor & Nellis all came on for the last quarter and got straight into the action as Mooney set up Paul Berne to score his first goal for the star. Mooney had a hand in the Star's 7th goal too when he raced clear on goal and unselfishly squared the ball to Gormley who had the easiest finish to make it 7-1. Gormley then got his 4th of the day when the ball broke to him in the box and the inform striker crashed the ball home to score his 32nd goal of the season.

Next week the Star are away to Dromara Village in the quarter final of the Border Cup, Kick Off 1:30pm.