Cookstown push past Mossley and into next round

It proved to be a tense cup tie with both sides having periods of superiority throughout the game.

Cookstown started the brighter of the two teams and claimed a number of short corner thanks to the good work of Michael Kerr, Callum Anderson and Ryan Donaldson down the flanks. Unfortunately the set piece was misfiring and the chances went unconverted.

Mossley then had a period of possession and pressure which resulted in a series of penalty corners of their own. The Cookstown defence was on top, however, and made a couple of charge downs by Steven Stewart as well as several good stops from Josh Anderson in goal.

The rest of the game proved to be as open with Mossley’s tactic of pressing the Cookstown defence very high providing them with a number of chances. However, when the Reds’ quick passing did see them get the ball into advanced areas it almost always allowed them to create danger to the Mossley goal.

The second half was another edgy affair with each defence seeing a great deal of possession with few chances created.

Thankfully, when Cookstown’s finally came they took full advantage and broke the deadlock. Good link up play saw the defence pick out Stewart in space in the midfield and he is turn was able to find a superb pass to Scott McCabe on the left hand side of the Mossley circle. The schoolboy striker showed great poise to wriggle his way into the position to cross and at the back post was Michael Kerr who tucked the ball home for his second goal in two games for Cookstown II.

Mossley continued to push, but it was the Reds who finished the game much the stronger.

Cookstown actually thought they had the game put to bed with ten minutes to go when Donaldson struck, but a free was called as the umpire believed it to have touched the striker’s knee on its way.

In the Ulster Junior Shield meeting of Cookstown IV and holders Cookstown V, it was the Fours who emerged victorious. The goals were scored by Ricky McGaw and Roger Robinson.