Lurgan run riot over Cookstown

Cookstown 0

IF this had been a boxing match the referee would have stopped the fight.

Lurgan completely over-ran Cookstown in a very one-sided affair at Lurgan Junior High School on Saturday in their last Ulster Shield group match.

Joanne Wilson opened the scoring in the third minute when she stroked home a rebound off the keeper from a Sarah McClure shot . Carly Johnston made it 2-0 three minutes later after her own great run had opened up the Cookstown defence and there were only eight minutes on the clock when Zoe McNally found the corner of the Cookstown net from just inside the circle .

The same attacker got her second, and Lurgan's fourth, two minutes later with a reverse-stick strike.

A period of calm descended on the pitch, for about 10 minutes anyway, before Lurgan added a fifth and it was a goal well worth waiting for.

A beautiful move down the Lurgan left saw Carly Johnston sweep the ball forward to Chloe McCann who controlled the ball perfectly and slipped an exquisite pass inside to Jill Edgar who smashed it home . Three minutes later and Jill herself turned provider as she drilled the ball across the circle and an awkward bounce in front of Sarah McClure proved no deterent as she deftly steered it past the despairing keeper.

Just before half-time Lurgan added a seventh when Jill Edgar again scored from a Chloe McCann assist.

Lurgan did ease off a little in the second half as they confidently stroked the ball about but the goals were always going to come and twelve minutes in Zoe McNally completed her hat-trick.

Charlene Hull then got in on the act and drilled home two penalty corners in the space of two minutes. Jill Edgar then completed her hat-trick with another well taken goal assisted by none other than Chloe McCann.

At 11-0 the Cookstown demolition was complete and the game only served to confirm the gulf there is between Premier League teams and some of those even in Senior One.

Lurgan begin their Premier League in earnest on Saturday at home to Belfast Harlequins - 2.30pm pass back. A good crowd is expected at Lurgan Junior High School to welcome the new league campaign.