ACADEMY SEAL BURNEY CUP VICTORY

BANBRIDGE Academy completed the schools hockey double, when they added the Burney Cup to the McCullough Cup, defeating Campbell College 3-0 in yesterday's final at Hillsborough.

But the scoreline somewhat flatters the red-hot favourites Bann, as Campbell pushed them all the way to the final whistle, and if they had just taken one or two of those chances, it could have been all so different.

Many pundits had predicted that the County Down school was going to bury their Belfast opponents in an avalanche of goals, but that never materialised.

It took half an hour for Bann to find a way past the Campbell defence, and from their first penalty corner of the game, Stephen Dowds slotted the ball home with precision, to give them a hard-fought half time lead.

In the 58th minute Hugh McShane forced his way along the Campbell by-line to slip the ball to Josh Moffett, who found himself plumb in front of an empty goal for a simple touch home for Bann's second.

Two minutes later Bann were awarded a hotly disputed penalty stroke, after Owen Magee seemed to be up ended in the circle, up stepped Brown who dispatched the stroke into the net, to take the 'Burney' back down the A1 to Banbridge Academy.

After the game Academy captain, Dowds said: "I don't think the scoreline reflects on the game, Campbell pushed us and gave us a great game. I think our second half performance just won it for us.

"They really surprised us, as we had played them earlier on in the season, and it is obvious they have put a lot of work in since then, and they definitely have improved.

"But this is great achievement by all the players they put the work in, and winning the Burney Cup is great for the school, and a great way for me to bring the curtain down on my school playing career."

Campbell's captain, McComb knew his side had come close to causing an upset.

He said: "It was a very close final, and everyone in the team gave a very good account of themselves, and the players can be very proud.

"But congratulations to Banbridge they played very well, and hopefully Campbell College can move forward from this."

Banbridge Academy: Andrew Mooney (GK), Michael Anderson (GK), Daniel MacAuley, Phillip Brown (VC), Matthew Bell, Philip Doyle, Hector De Courcy-Wheeler, Michael Duggan, Hugh McShane, Ciaran Kelly, Niall Kelly, Ben Cosgrove, Joshua Moffett, Stephen Dowds (C), Owen Magee, Matthew Knox.

Campbell College: Justin Hool (GK), Darren Rodgers (GK), Charles McCombe (C), Stephen Johnston, James Clark, Richard Johnston, Aaron Saunders, Aaron Robinson, Jordan Linter, Josh Mackay, John Lyness, Chris Ashenhurst, Mathew West, Andrew Williamson, James Cox, Jamie Ireland

Umpires: Eamon McFerran and Colvin Beattie