Roy O'Donovan grabbed a first-half hat-trick on his debut for Newcastle Jets. The opponents: his former A-League side and Newcastle Jets rivals, Central Coast Mariners. O'Donovan signed for Newcastle back in April after two seasons with the Mariners.
He told the Newcastle Herald earlier this week that he was expecting a vicious reception.
I am obviously going to get a pretty vicious reception. It will bring the best out in me I’m sure. I have had it in the past at a few different clubs in England where I have gone back. At some clubs they have sung my name and at other clubs they have booed me. For me it is another football game with a few whistles and jeers in between.
Sometimes you have to make difficult choices for your family and career. I feel I have made the right one here, coming to the Jets. Everything is new, everything is fresh, it is geared for success. You want to play in the finals. I wouldn’t have left the Mariners if I didn’t think the Jets would have success.
O'Donovan took just 38 minutes to score his hat-trick. Newcastle actually came back from a goal down as they won 5-1.
O'Donovan's first - the equaliser - was a penalty; his second was a scuffed shot; his third was a brilliantly placed header.
Roy O'Donovan's first half hat-trick is the 3rd fastest hat-trick from kick-off in an @ALeague game. It's also the 1st #F3Derby hat-trick.
— Fox Sports Lab (@FoxSportsLab) October 7, 2017
The custom of not celebrating against your former team is obviously one to which the Cork man does not subscribe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWJ9R3VaMuc
