Niall Murray
Started the season with a bang, hitting 3 against Rosario.

NIALL Murray was bang in form when he hammered in a hat-trick against Rosario away from home last Wednesday night to make it two wins out of two for the Rec.

Kilmore jumped into a second minute lead when a long throw from Johnny Cheevers was headed on by Murray to B. J. McMenamin. The former Glentoran and Larne player intelligently picked out Liam Graham and he made no mistake with a clinical finish.

Murray duly made it 2-0 a minute later when he converted a penalty after Stevie Rogan had been brought down in the box by the Rosario goalkeeper.

Rosario refused to lie down and with 17 minutes gone a 30 yard strike from Conor Murray flew past Nathan Curran on its way to the back of the net.

The home side then drew level five minutes later when Ciaran Duffin capitalised on a defensive error.

With 26 minutes gone Graham and Murray combined to release McMenamin down the left, but his shot was well saved by Conor Houston. Kilmore had not long to wait for their third goal and it came in the 39th minute when a Gary Kennedy effort deceived Houston. Murray almost made it 4-2 before the break when his 25 yard curler went agonisingly wide.

Murray was well compensated three minutes after the break when he turned on a sixpence in the box and drilled the ball past Houston. Rosario threw everything at Kilmore in a bid to get back into the game and they made it 4-3 in the 70th minute when Rory McGrillen scored from the penalty spot after Liam Sloan had brought down Murray.

The final 10 minutes of the game were nip and tuck with McMenamin going close for Kilmore and at the other end Cheevers had to produce two outstanding saves to deny Rosario.

Niall Murray then made the points safe when he scored from the spot after Niall McCarthy had been fouled.

Kilmore Rec: N. Curran, S. Bell, L. Sloan, J. Cheevers, M. Miskelly, G. Kennedy, K. Lewis, S. Rogan, N. Murray, L. Graham, B. J. McMenamin. Subs: G. Curran, N. McCarthy, I. Smyth.