Some good solid displays all over the park resulted in St Mary’s getting their first victory of the season against Sirocco FC at Hydebank Playing Fields on Saturday.
Eoin O’Reilly may have taken the plaudits with a four goal haul but Oliver Breen led the defence well at the back, Jack Parke worked his socks off up-front while stand-in goalie Aidan Begley’s handling was impressive throughout despite the wet conditions.
O’Reilly, now restored up front, put St Mary’s two goals ahead at the mid point of the first period after picking up on two Oliver Breen passes and was then unlucky to flash a shot narrowly wide of the post as the constant pressure on the shaky Sirocco defence began to tell.
But to their credit Sirocco didn’t lie down and pulled a goal back before the break although it was hard to tell if the ball had crossed the line or not but crucially it was the referee that decided it had crossed the line and the goal was given.
Cathal McGarritty, Eoin McNicholl, Cormac Morgan and Paddy Ross were getting through an enormous amount of work in the middle of the pitch but again it was that man O’Reilly’s name on the score sheet again, restoring the two goal cushion with a break down the right before cracking the ball home into the roof of the net for his hat-trick.
Eoin McNicholl, Cathal McGarrity and captain Oliver Breen all had chances to increase St Mary’s lead but the Sirocco goalie was equal to anything that St Mary’s could throw at him. Oisin Donaghy, Aidan Quinn and Trevor McCormick had to be alert at the heart of the St Mary’s rearguard as the Sirocco captain used his pace on several occasions to threaten.
After O’Reilly had notched his fourth goal of the day to increase St Mary’s lead, the St Mary’s management introduced Christopher Flannigan and Conal Breen to proceedings with Breen in particular looking bright and lively. Breen’s first touch was to put the ball in the Sirocco net but the referee ruled that goal out for off-side but just minutes later he repeated the trick but this time the goal was good and finished of the St Mary’s scoring for the day.
Sirocco did get another consolation strike right at the death despite substitute goalie Niall McGinnity’s best efforts.
St Mary's manager McNulty welcomed the full three points and believes that her side is ready to give a good account of themselves with Sporting Cromac FC lurking on the horizon next Saturday at Ormeau Park
