STAR MAKE IT THROUGH TO THE LAST 32 OF THE JUNIOR CUP
Comber Rec II 2-7 Crumlin Star
The Star eased through to the last 32 of the Junior cup when they outclassed fellow Amateur league side Comber Rec II's. A hat trick from captain Sean Brown, a brace for Joe Gormley and a goal a piece from Jamesy McNally and Seamy Nellis was enough to see the Ardoyne side safely through to the next stage of the competition. The Star opened the scoring as early as the second minute when Braniff cleverly put McNally through on goal to fire the ball past the Comber keeper. The Star where awarded a penalty soon after when McNally's cross was handled by a Comber defender and Sean Brown stepped up to score his first of the day. With the pitch being in a terrible state the Star still managed to play some tidy football and soon enough it was 3-0 when Nellis rose unchallenged in the box to head home a Brown cross. Comber's only real threat where long searching balls into the Star's box and thats where they scored their first goal from when their big striker flicked the ball on to the under side of the bar and into the net. The Star responded well after this and upped their game as both sides started to put in some tasty challenges. Sean Brown gave the Star their three goal advantage again just before the break when he curled the ball into the top corner from just outside the box to kill of any chance of a Comber fightback.
H/T 1-4
The Star started the second period on top again as they dominated possession and had any of the chances that where created. The back line of McAlea, Burns, Nellis and Hamilton where never really under any pressure with Thompson in goal just a spectator for most of the half. Gormley made it 5-1 not long after the hour when Braniff played him through and the young hit man brilliantly curled the ball round the helpless keeper. Reid & O'Reilly replaced Braniff & Hamilton soon after as both players where making their first appearance's after being out injured. Gormley got his second of the day when he left two defenders in his wake and fired the ball home to make it 6-1 to the Star. Comber where awarded a dubious penalty late on to make it 6-2 but Sean Brown secured his hat trick soon after when he played a neat one two with Reid and buried the ball past the home side's keeper for an impressive win for the Ardoyne side. Next week the Star are at home to Grange Rangers in the league, ko 2:00pm.
Team: Thompson, Hamilton, McAlea, Nellis, Burns, Whelan, S.Brown, Braniff, McNally, P.Brown, Gormley
Subs: Reid, O'Reilly, Hawkins.
Starman Sean Brown.
