O’Halloran the returning hero with late Saints clincher
By Mark Guidi MICHAEL O’HALLORAN came off the bench to score a wonderful winning goal for St Johnstone — the first time he has found the net since April of last year.
The attacker — signed on loan from Rangers last week — made the perfect return to Saints after his £450,000 transfer to Ibrox did not work out for him under Mark Warburton and then Pedro Caixinha.
He was delighted with his last-minute strike. And no wonder. He collected a pass from Brian Easton 25 yards out on the left-hand side. He then used his blistering pace to dribble away from four Kilmarnock players, across the 18-yard box and into the penalty area. He created a nice angle to rifle a powerful shot past Jamie MacDonald.
O’Halloran said: ‘The last game I started was back in January, so it was good to get minutes on the park and score the winner. My confidence has always been fine but it was just a lack of games and that’s why I came back here. Everyone at this club has always been great to me and that’s why I’m glad to be back.’
Saints manager Tommy Wright, couldn’t hide his delight at the return of his former favourite.
‘Michael was a player that, if truth be told, we never wanted to leave,’ he said. ‘But the move was hard for him, and for us, to turn down. Today, we couldn’t have written the script better for him.
‘He produced bit of magic for his winning goal. We’re delighted to have him back.’
In what was a more than decent game of football in the Rugby Park sunshine, the deadlock was broken after 10 minutes when the visitors scored. David Wotherspoon took possession 25 yards out and drove into the box.
He jinked inside Kirk Broadfoot and released a powerful shot which flew past MacDonald and high into the net.
Wright’s men were just inches away from doubling their advantage when Murray Davidson’s cheeky effort lobbed MacDonald from more than 40 yards and came off the crossbar.
The equaliser came in the 59th minute and it was another memorable goal from veteran striker Kris Boyd.
The Killie captain took command when his side won a free-kick, almost 30 yards out after Stefan Scougall had fouled Jordan Jones. Saints goalkeeper Alan Mannus lined up his wall, but the powerful drive flew through it and into the top right-hand corner.
Boyd then slipped sub Lee Erwin through for a one-on-one, but Mannus managed to parry away.
Boyd then rattled the crossbar with a close-range effort. Mannus appeared to get his fingertips to the ball to deflect the ball on to the woodwork.
And O’Halloran, on for Scougall after the hour mark, had the last word.
Kilmarnock manager Lee McCulloch said: ‘I was happy with the performance but disappointed with the result. We have a young squad and we just need to be a wee bit more streetwise.
‘We conceded pretty poor goals. But we were good at many things.’