NAFL League Match.
Division 1a.
Killyleagh YC 8 St Patrick’s YM 1
The outcome of this clash between top versus bottom in the Amateur League’s Division 1A was far from predictable writes Chris Hagan. Killyleagh trailed for 43 minutes before hammering in seven second half goals, and they could even afford the luxury of two missed penalties in a crazy second half.
The home side — who were again missing seven regulars due to a wedding, a funeral and injuries — were stunned when the North Belfast side took a shock early lead.
Try as they did, Killyleagh could not find the back of the net. Both Jack Sharvin and Adam Neale went close, and both were also denied by outstanding saves.
It was the 43rd minute before the YC finally drew level and it was two of their close season signings who combined to make it 1-1. Barry Treacy floated in a free kick and Foster Macauley rose highest to head home.
YC manager Paul Sharvin’s half time team talk must have worked wonders, for Killyleagh were an entirely different outfit in the second half. Three goals in the space of six minutes saw them coast to victory.
Before that Jack Sharvin missed a penalty when he was denied by a stunning save.
The St Pat’s keeper quickly went from hero to zero, however, when two minutes later he missed Treacy’s through ball and Neale won the race to slot it into the net after 52 minutes.
To be fair the visitors looked far from a basement side at this stage and always carried a threat in attack. It needed YC stand in keeper Bradford McClurg to make an outstanding save to keep his team ahead. From the clearance it was 3-1, with Neale following up to score his second of the game after the keeper had again denied Sharvin.
Sharvin finally got on the scoresheet to make it 4-1 in the 58th minute after more good work from Keegan Rice.
Sharvin got his second, thundering a shot in off the bar, in the 64th minute to make it 5-1. Then Neale hit a post before the visitors were reduced to ten men.
Killyleagh were relentless and if Sharvin’s second goal was a stunning finish, then his goal for his hat-trick in the 70th minute was worth the admission price. The keeper raced out to kick clear but his clearance landed at Sharvin’s feet, 35 yards out, and he chipped it straight back first time, over the keeper and into the roof of the net to make it 6-1.
The seventh goal was the result of a superb passing move with Neale threading through to Sharvin who unselfishly teed it up for sub Robbie Hagan to smash it to the net.
There was time for another missed penalty from Killyleagh, this time Neale hitting the crossbar, before Jack Sharvin completed the scoring with is fourth of the game, and twelfth in total this season, when he took one touch to kill the ball and hammer it home in the 86th minute.
YC manager Sharvin was fortunate with so many missing that it was St Pat’s who provided the opposition but it promises to be a sterner test this weekend with a Showgrounds visit from Dunmurry Rec, who completed a league double over Killyleagh last season.
