Glentoran ace Niall McGinn 'delighted' with second career hat-trick

The 35-year-old signed for The Oval outfit from Dundee earlier this month and after netting a first goal for his new side last Saturday against Newry City, McGinn followed it up with a 15-minute hat-trick in Tuesday’s 6-0 league defeat of Dungannon Swifts.

His stunning form has helped new manager – and former playing colleague at Dungannon – Rodney McAree kick off his reign with two consecutive wins and put them back on track for a title challenge having played three games fewer than the likes of leaders Cliftonville, Linfield and Monday night’s opponents, Crusaders.

With McGinn in attack alongside Shay McCartan, who netted twice on Tuesday evening, Jay Donnelly and the eventual return of Conor McMenamin, Glentoran have a potent strike force capable of wreaking havoc on any defence.

McGinn’s only senior hat-trick prior to Tuesday’s effort was in a 3-1 Scottish Premiership triumph for Aberdeen over Dundee in December 2012 and he admitted it was a sweet feeling to be bringing home another match ball.

"I had a bit of belief and confidence from Saturday,” he told Glens TV.

“When you come to a new club you want to hit the ground running and I was delighted to get my first goal on Saturday, but never thought in a million years I would score a hat-trick.

"That's my second career hat-trick - I got my first for Aberdeen - so it's not often you get a hat-trick as a wide player.

"Once I got the second I was thinking to just keep getting in the box and hoped we would keep creating chances, which we would always do.

"We have good players in the right positions to always create chances and thankfully they fell nicely for me."

McGinn feels right at home in his new surroundings after making his Irish League return following 15 years in Scotland and a brief stint in South Korea.

"I'm settling in great,” he added. “They are a great bunch of boys and it has been very easy to come into this changing room and get on with everyone.”