The goal has now been recognised as the fastest-ever recorded in Australian football history. In just 3.68 seconds, Marlin Coast Rangers FC player-coach Crios O'Hare etched his name into the record books, opening the scoring directly from kick-off during their Australia Cup regional qualifier against Stratford Dolphins in Cairns recently.
Crios O'Hare celebrates a record-breaking goal with his Marlin Coast Rangers teammates. (Image: Jason Galea)
The astonishing strike has been clocked as the 12th fastest in world football, surpassing Damian Mori's famous effort for Adelaide City against Sydney United in the National Soccer League in 1995 by a mere hundredth of a second.
For O'Hare, a well-respected figure in Far North Queensland's football community, taking the record from Mori carried special meaning.
"He's a player I used to love watching as a kid, so beating him to the title of fastest ever Australian goal does make it extra sweet," O'Hare told Front Page Football.
The 38-year-old revealed that he had considered trying the same trick just weeks earlier during a pre-season friendly against Stratford.
"When we played them a few weeks ago, I noticed their keeper was quite a bit off his line at kick-off. But I told my teammate Josh Pin I wasn't going to try it that time," O'Hare said.
However, there was no hesitation when the chance presented itself again.
"He must have been standing near the penalty spot, and it's the old cliché — I knew when it left the boot it was in! I connected really sweetly, and it was fantastic to see it go in," O'Hare added.
Incredibly, the goal might have been even faster if not for some ill-advised advice from the match official.
"I did ask the referee just before if I could try straight from kick-off, but he said someone else had to touch it first," O'Hare explained.
Teammate Ciaran Murray dutifully rolled the ball forward, setting up what may go down as the most famous 'assist' in Australian football history.
"Yes, he's making sure I mention him in every interview I've done since the goal!" O'Hare laughed.
It seems the referee may need to brush up on the rules. Law 8: 'The Start and Restart of Play,' amended in 1997, permits players to score directly from kick-off.
"I guess I can blame him for not having the world record now!" O'Hare joked.
That global title still belongs to Scottish footballer Gavin Stokes, who netted straight from kick-off in 2.1 seconds for Maryhill FC against Clydebank in 2017.
O'Hare confirmed he has previously attempted this audacious move.
"I've had a couple of goes in the past few years. I hit the underside of the bar once, and another time against Southside Comets, the keeper just managed to tip it over the bar," he said.
O'Hare tried to score from kick-off for Edge Hill United back in 2021, hitting the crossbar.
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O'Hare's footballing journey began in the UK, with a spell at Halifax Town, then under the management of current Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder. He later played in Northern Ireland's top flight for Larne, Glentoran, and Carrick Rangers.
Recurring injuries eventually led him back to Australia, where he settled in Cairns and built a career as a strength and conditioning coach alongside his football pursuits.
He played a key role for the now-defunct Cairns FC, who famously reached the last 16 of the FFA Cup in 2018 and came close to toppling Sydney FC.
After a trophy-laden five-year stint at Edge Hill United, O'Hare's departure from the club in 2023 was a surprise. Their loss was certainly Marlin Coast Rangers' gain, as O'Hare guided the club to a domestic treble last year.
With the regular season in Far North Queensland set to begin in early March, opposing goalkeepers may want to stay firmly on their lines whenever they spot O'Hare sizing up the ball at kick-off.
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