On Saturday, the team took on Mossley in north Belfast in what was to prove a less than emphatic 4-1 win.

Mossley started much the better of the two teams and gave Reds 'keeper Hughes a testing time at the start of the first half. Eventually after having several chances they took their opportunity to go 1-0 up after loose Cookstown defending allowed a Mossley striker to nip in at the back post.

However, the Reds soon kicked into action and just minutes later Donaldson and Ames showed their attacking prowess down the right before finding Steen who unleashed a shot from the edge of the circle which crashed into the backboard to make it 1-1.

The pressure increased on Mossley and they were forced into giving away a number of short corners which went unconverted.

However, Steen again showed his composire in front of goal when he latched onto a Hutchinson pass before slotting it past the stranded Mossley 'keeper.

However, it was the Belfast side that ended the half the stronger and Cookstown should consider themselves lucky to have gone in 2-1 up at half time.

The second half had none of the enrgy of the first as the Reds played keep-ball leaving Mossley only scraps of possession to work with.
Steen got his third early on with another finely crafted finish and when Gareth Cuddy crashed home from a short corner, the game was well beyond Mossley.

On Monday night the Reds travelled to Shawsbridge to take on an Instonians team who have still to show the form of old in either cup or league competition.

However, the former greats were still expected to give the young Cookstowners a run for their money as they needed a win to put them through into the semis with the Reds.

Captain Hutchinson opened the scoring with a fine finish and this proved the difference until late in the half when Inst put home an short corner to make it 1-1.

The second half was packed full of incident. The pitch was beginning to freeze to the worry of all and finally led to injuries to both teams' goalkeepers.

Cookstown had not travelled with a replacement netminder so defender Irwin was forced into the area for the last 30 minutes.
However, it was Cookstown that won the game thanks to McMeekin reacting quickest to a rebound.

Cookstown felt hard done by when a bad tackle on Ames went unpunished but they held out to win 2-1 and progress into the next round of the competition.