O'CONNOR HITS HAT-TRICK AS WELDERS THUMP COMRADES
Tiarnan O'Connor bagged a first half hat-trick as HW Welders started the New Year in the best possible way with a comprehensive defeat of Ballyclare Comrades at Dixon Park.
The 21-year-old opened the scoring with a quarter-of-an-hour on the clock with a fantastic strike into the top right corner of Declan Breen's goal.
He doubled his tally just six minutes after that with a low driven effort past the home keeper before laying claim to the match ball on 34 minutes with his third of the afternoon.
Ewan McCoubrey might have added a fourth for the visitors soon after only to turn his effort against the crossbar but, three minutes into the second half, Matthew Ferguson did make it 4-0 with a low free-kick.
The Comrades were granted a consolation midway through the second half when Liam Hassin found the net after Callum Ferris laid the ball off into his path.
Ballyclare Comrades: Breen, McGrandles, Hassin, Roohi, Ferris, McCurry, Wylie, T. Gilmour, McAleer, Donnelly, McMurtry subs Mather, C. Gilmour, Ramsey, Morgan, Leetch, Higgins, Green
HW Welders: Mersin, Patterson, Byers, Owens, Kinner, Harris, Ferguson, O'Connor, Toman, McCoubrey, Wilson subs McLellan, McMurray, Kee, Barr, Hillis, Parkhouse, Agnew
Substitution 
Substitution 
