Sheridan's first treble inspires Ayrshiremen to three points

IRISH hitman Cillian Sheridan hit his first senior hat trick as Killie shocked Hearts at Tynecastle.
Cillian Sheridan rises to head home for Killie Cillian Sheridan rises to head home for Killie

CILLIAN SHERIDAN last night toasted the first treble of his career as Kilmarnock routed Hearts to go third in the SPL.

The Irish hitman gave the wasteful Jambos a lesson in the art of finishing with a stunning
hat-trick at Tynecastle.

The home side had a handful of clear cut chances during a first half they dominated but they failed to take any of them.

In stark contrast, Kilmarnock had just three sights of goal during the entire match with new signing Sheridan on the end of every one.

The 23-year-old, who marked his Killie debut with a goal in last weekend’s win against St Mirren, netted the opener at the end of the first half before sealing victory with a brace after the break.

Cillian Sheridan is mobbed by teammates Cillian Sheridan is mobbed by his Kilmarnock teammates

Sheridan feels his hot-streak is down to the fact he’s finally found a place he can call home after spending the last two seasons jetting between Bulgarian outfit CSKA Sofia and St Johnstone, where he spent time on loan.

He said: “I’ve had a few doubles before so it is nice to finish it off with a hat-trick.

“It has been very easy to settle in here and so far it has been a great start for me.

“It has been massive not having to worry about moving every summer and not worrying where you are going every transfer window.

“I have signed a two-year deal at Kilmarnock and feel as if I have been playing with more
freedom. I do feel more settled.

“Before I came over I missed about 10 headers with CSKA and now I have scored two in two games so hopefully this is a start of things to come.”

Buoyed by last weekend’s 3-0 triumph at
Tannadice, their first win since the opening day of the campaign, Hearts were more purposeful at the start of this match.

They were half a yard quicker than the visitors and that sharpness led to a loud penalty shout in the 13th minute when Michael Nelson’s attempted back-pass was woefully short.

In-form youngster Callum Paterson seized on the mistake and as he bore down on goal Manuel Pascali sent him sprawling inside the area.

Arvydas Novikovas (right) gets away from Kilmarnock's Liam Kelly Arvydas Novikovas (right) gets away from Kilmarnock's Liam Kelly

Both the Hearts crowd and the players demanded referee Bobby Madden point to the spot but Pascali got more than enough on the ball and the whistler was correct to ignore the appeals.

Moments later Hearts’ Ryan McGowan wriggled free down the left and hit the bye-line before his cut-back arrived at the feet of Arvydas Novikovas. But with all the time in the world to pick his spot the
Lithuanian’s composure deserted him as he fired wildly over the bar.

Kilmarnock now found themselves right up against it and they had another lucky escape minutes later.

Paterson was again involved and was in acres of space to meet a Novikovas cross in the box. The 17-year-old helped himself to a double against Dundee United last week but this time, with the goal at his mercy, he could only head over the top.

Killie continued to ride their luck and then, completely against the run of play, the Ayrshire side took the lead much to the disbelief of the home supporters.

Just after the half hour some trickery from James Dayton enabled him to shake off the attentions of Mehdi Taouil before chipping an inviting cross into the box.

Unlike the Hearts defenders, Sheridan read the delivery perfectly and rose to glance a clever header across goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald and in to the corner of the net.

The Jambos reacted well to going behind though, and should have gone into the break all square.

Right on the stroke of half-time Paterson got on the end of an Andy Driver cross in the area but his aim was off again as he nodded the ball well over.

The teenager was quickly in the thick of it at the start of the second half, scraping the outside of the post with a low shot from the edge of the box as Hearts searched for an equaliser.

On the balance of play it would have been no more than they deserved, yet when the second goal came it went to the visitors, who struck with a classic sucker punch.

As the Jambos piled forward Pascali sprung the offside trap when he sprayed a lofted ball wide to the feet of Sheridan on the right touchline.

The Irishman was still 45 yards from goal when he collected the pass although there was only one thing on his mind as he raced in behind Danny Grainger then calmly slotted the ball under the body of the advancing keeper.

Hearts’ afternoon went from bad to worse in the 63rd minute.

Keeper MacDonald fumbled a Danny Racchi free-kick into the path of Sheridan and the striker gleefully accepted the invitation to kill off the game as he completed his hat-trick with a tap-in.

John McGlynn’s men grabbed a consolation two minutes from the end when skipper Marius Zaliukas nodded home a Grainger corner.

Taken from the Daily Record