Cookstown ease to comfortable win over Larne

The home side began well, but after a break in play Cookstown broke to score at the right post.

The visitors wasted no time in doubling their lead to make it 2-0. Larne could easily have let their heads drop, but instead pushed forward and earned themselves a penalty corner.

A lovely strike from Zoe Purdy halved the deficit and brought the local team right back into the mix.

After the break Larne picked up where they left off and came out strong again with an early goal from Ingrid Carmichael.

Back on level terms, Larne created a stack of chances but were unlucky not to find the back of the net on a few occasions.

Cookstown then got their first penalty corner of the game and converted with a shot that went in tight to the post.

Indiscipline set in and Larne were on the receiving end of two green card dismissals and one yellow card. Cookstown took full advantage, scoring two goals when the home side were down to nine players.

Once back to full strength, Larne dominated the possession, but it was too little, too late.

Larne: T. Neill, G. Russell, R. Beggs, Rebecca Dalton, M. Finlay, C. McIlwaine, Ruth Dalton (c), C. Holmes, I. Carmichael, K. McIlwaine, L. Craig, Z. Purdy, L. Snoddy.

It was a different story for the Thirds who won 3-0 at home to Grosvenor IV. It may have been a miserable afternoon but Larne started brightly, winning a number of short corners after some excellent passing between the forwards. And it was from a set-piece that Diane Henry slotted the ball past the Grosvenor keeper.

Larne’s second goal came following an excellent run from Lynsey Robinson, who played a defence-splitting pass into the circle, which Henry deflected into the roof of the net.

The third came in the second half when Teah Maguire converted a Tracey Martin cross.

The 2nd XI match was a walkover for Larne as Knock Ladies could not field a team.

Fixtures: Victorians v Larne; Larne II v North Down II (2:30pm); Banbridge IV v Larne III (Minor Cup).