Hockey: Cookstown seconds win final game thanks to Anderson double

Cookstown II ended the season on a high with a great 2-1 victory over Bangor at Steelweld Park.
Well done to Cookstown PS who defended the Pearson Cup! 205 teams entered  the Ulster Hockey primary school tournament and the local school went through 14 matches without conceding a single goal. Congratulations also to Moneymore PS who got through to the semi-final of the plate competition.Well done to Cookstown PS who defended the Pearson Cup! 205 teams entered  the Ulster Hockey primary school tournament and the local school went through 14 matches without conceding a single goal. Congratulations also to Moneymore PS who got through to the semi-final of the plate competition.
Well done to Cookstown PS who defended the Pearson Cup! 205 teams entered the Ulster Hockey primary school tournament and the local school went through 14 matches without conceding a single goal. Congratulations also to Moneymore PS who got through to the semi-final of the plate competition.

The Reds were without Jack Haycock from the team that travelled to Lisnagarvey on Wednesday, but welcomed back Scott McCabe to the team.

The high-flying visitors brought an excellent team to Cookstown and had several decent chances early in the first half.

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The Reds worked their way back into the game thanks to the efforts of Michael Kerr in the midfield. A couple of devastating passes saw his younger brother Danny into good positions. With a little bit more poise he might’ve twice picked out Ryan Donaldson’s runs to the back post.

Nevertheless, Cookstown were the dominant team and Donaldson was instrumental in crafting the opening goal. He perfectly picked out the charge of Callum Anderson into the circle and the big striker made no mistake, deflecting the ball home.

The Reds’ dominance continued but, despite winning a couple of short corners, they could not add to their total.

It was in fact Bangor who drew level early in the second half. A long ball out of defence caught Cookstown napping although the Seasiders’ striker did very well to push home from a tight angle despite the efforts of Anderson in goal and three defenders.

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The young Cookstown team did not panic and kept to their task. Scott McCabe was in particular very good in this period, finding a number of good positions to link up with the midfield.

A slick end-to-end move down the right involving Gavin Butler and Ryan Donaldson won a free in an advanced area. Michael Kerr took it quickly and picked out Callum Anderson’s excellent run. He got his reverse to the ball ahead of the Bangor defender and turned it into the net. Bangor kept pushing for an equaliser but came up short.

Cookstown: Josh Anderson, Robin Johnston, David Atkinson, Matty Glendinning, Brett McConnell, Gavin Butler, Michael Kerr, Gavin Donaldson, Callum Anderson, Danny Kerr, Ryan Donaldson, Jack Dingley and Scott McCabe.

Many thanks to Mark Wilson and Stevie Hamilton for umpiring this game.