Devlin sizzles for Colts as Warrenpoint put to the sword in Shield final

Cookstown Colts 4 Warrenpoint 0

Cookstown Colts travelled to Lurgan to play Warrenpoint in the Shield Final.

It was the Warrenpoint side who started the stronger and created a number of breaks and shots on goal. After five minutes Cookstown started to put preasure on the Warrenpoint defence with good link up play between Callum O’Neill, Ben McNally and Terry Devlin.

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It was Devlin who got the first goal when a pass from McNally put Terry through to slot home into the bottom corner and make it 1-0 to the Colts.

With a few changes made made the Cookstown sizzles started to dominate and again it was Devlin who hit a driving shot from 25 yards into the top corner.

Warrenpoint on two occasions caught the Cookstown lads out, however Turkington, Carelton and Campbell stood firm in defence.

The third goal came when Sami Junk was fouled and that man Devlin finished yet again. Devlin got his fourth with five minutes to go after great work from Acheson and Wylie. The game finished with a 4-0 score to enable the Colts to lift the Shield.

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Management team Scott Freeburn and Millar were overjoyed and would to thank the big support of Parents and also the Management of CYFC U12s who were there to support the team.

Cookstown U12 1 Portadown 1

Last Saturday the young sizzlers faced Portadown in a Lisburn League fixture still smarting from a 2-0 defeat to Shankill in the semi-final of the League Cup the previous Wednesday.

Despite this defeat both players and management were positive in their outlook and this was reflected in a great opening thirty minutes against their Mid-Ulster rivals.

Despite no official referee the Cookstown lads took the game to Portadown from the first whistle with striker Craig Bigger testing the Ports keeper after a good through ball from captain Jamie Marlin on five minutes.

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Good link play between Bobbie Patterson, Luke Patterson and Marlin then created a great opportunity for Lee Glasgow on the edge only for him to scuff his rushed shot straight to their keeper.

Midfielder Tiernan Mackle then drove over the Portadown bar before Portadown struck Jamie Campbell’s crossbar from twelve yards. Portadown created havoc with several pin point corners but Campbell, Kenning, Patterson, McClean and Dean Bigger stood firm at the back.

Glasgow combined well for another opportunity for Bigger before the most controversial moment of the game. A through ball from midfield was collected by Marlin in a race with the Portadown keeper and as he passed the ball off for Craig Bigger to drive homewards the stand in referee blew for a foul on the keeper to leave the score line all square at half time.

Into the second half against a strengthening wind Portadown took an unlikely lead on 37 minutes as a half hit shot in a melee of players deflected past substitute keeper Stephen Black.

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Portadown’s tails were up and only a superb double save by Black prevented them doubling their lead as Cookstown legs began to tire. Portadown began to dominate possession with the lead and the wind on their back.

Manager Gerry Quinn brought on Harry Wilson, Keelan Gault and Rian Mullan to freshen legs as Cookstown fought to get back into the game.

A great run by Marlin was ended by the Portadown centre half hauling him to the ground just outside the box and despite being the last man, no red card.

Man of the match Marlin dusted himself down and drove the free homewards through the Portadown wall with minutes to go. A great ball by Bobbie Patterson from the right was met by Iarlaith Donaghy who struck the Portadown post from ten yards in the last kick of the game. A great team performance!

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Cookstown: J. Campbell, B. Patterson, R. McLean, W. Kenning, D. Bigger, L. Patterson, I. Donaghy, T. Mackle, L. Glasgow, J. Marlin, C. Bigger, H. Wilson, S. Black, R. Mullan, K. Gault.

Cookstown U14 0 Coleraine 0

The U14s had home advantage for this National League (B) game, against a team who they took a drumming from in Coleraine earlier in the season.

Ben Young started in nets with Conor Donnelly, Matthew Kelly, Stefan O’Hare and Jamie McCrum in defence. The midfield was made up of Cameron Thom, Ryan Rocks, Adam Keane and Jack Dingley with Stevie Arrell and Ronan Hughes up front.

The game started at a fierce pace and both teams had long periods of possession but the two sets of defenders were playing out of their skins, most notabley Ben Young and Jamie McCrum.

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Cookstown’s Stevie Arrell won the home team a penalty , after being upended in the Coleraine box, but unfortunately Arrell let the nerves get the better of him and put his spot kick just wide of the left hand post.

Ronan Hughes, Stefan O’Hare and Ryan Rocks all went close with chances and Ben Young pulled off some great saves in a match which was a fantastic advertisement for youth football in Northern Ireland.

Kyle Devlin and Caleb Buchannon were introduced in the latter stages and Cameron McMullan, Ciaran Monaghan and Luke McCrea didnt get on, such was the tightness of this game.

Coleraine had a chance to take the points in the dieing minutes when their forward was one on one with Young who pulled of a wonder save to deny him and keep a clean sheet.

The game continued to ebb and flow and finished up 0-0.

Man of The Match : Ben Young

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Andy Kelly commented after the game, “Myself, Stevie, Mark and Stephen are very proud of our players today. Coleraine were the first team we played in a competative game back at U11s, and they hammered us 10-0.

“We missed eachother for the next few years and then earlier this year they beat us by five in Coleraine, so it just goes to show how far our boys have come in the last number of years.”

Cookstown U16 0

St Oliver Plunkett 4

Cookstown’s quest for glory in the NI Cup came to an end at Lurgan on Friday past.

A gritty determined display by the Cookstown lads couldn’t deny a St Oliver Plunkett’s team who fielded no less than six Northern Ireland Internationals. Cookstown matched their opponent’s ball for ball in the first 20 minutes and only one defensive lapse allowed the Plunkett’s to score on 22 minutes to lead 1-0 at half time.

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It was hard on the lads the defence of A Bell, P Stewart, L Johnston, M Corrigan and S McMath in particular had stopped everything thrown at them up to that stage.

The second half started disastrously for Cookstown as the Plunkett’s made it 2 nil with a minute. Cookstown tried hard to get back into the match with the midfield of J Harte, M Megarry and J Glasgow all trying to give the forwards A Murphy and C McGovern a glimmer of a chance but a very experienced defence gave Cookstown little sight of goal.

The pressure was gradually building on Cookstown and it took some great defensive work and a couple of good saves by goalie C Reynolds to keep out the Plunkett forwards out. However as the game progressed the experienced St Plunkett’s side gradually took control and scored 2 more goals in quick succession to lead 4-0.

At this stage Cookstown made substitutions with W. Tavares, W McCullagh, D ONeill, D Teague and G McElhone all coming on to help the cause. A late flurry then by Cookstown with J Glasgow creating a good chance for A Murphy couldn’t alter the scoreline and the match finished 4-0.

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The management trio of T Megarry, I Donaghy and G McCaw could not have asked for more and the team could not have given more. Make no mistake about it this was a great display by Cookstown who had already secured a top 4 spot in the National League against a team who are arguably the best in the NI Cup and the probable winners.

The whole of Cookstown Youth Football Club should be proud of this team’s achievement. Man of the Match award went to S McMath for an outstanding performance playing out of a position as sweeper.

Cookstown: C Reynolds, A Bell, S McMath, L Johnston, M Corrigan, P Stewart, M Meagary, J Glasgow, J Harte, A Murphy, C McGovern, D O’Neill, D Teague, W Tavares, G McElhone, W McCullagh.

Cookstown U18 4 Millbrook 1

Cookstown went 1-0 down after 10 minutes , however Drew Kelly brought the teams level.

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Just before Half-Time Kelly got his and the teams second to go into Half-Time 2-1 up.

Oisin Maguire made it 3-1 after the break and Kelly hit his hat trick with 10 minutes to go, to give the 18s an emphatic win against the Newry team.

CYFC NEWS

Tradionally Cookstown Youth Football Club hold their End of Season on the first Saturday in June, however due to circumstances beyond the Clubs control, the dinner will be held on FRIDAY 31st MAY 2013 in the Glenavon Hotel in Cookstown.

The third and final term of the Development Centre continues again this Friday 26th April , at the Mid Ulster Sports Arena. We look forward to seeing all the players back again and also any new Boys or Girls who want to join in. Cookstown Youth FC would also like to appeal to any would be Coaches out there to come along and help out at the Area’s number 1 Development Centre, and help secure the future of football for years to come. Feel free to contact the CYFC mobile on 07771195393, or alternatively Public Relations Officer Andy Kelly on 07872901473

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CYFC will be holding its popular Golf Day on Friday 3rd May 2013 at Killymoon Golf Club. This is always a great days craic so why not gather up a team of four players , regardless of golfing ability , and join in the fun. £100 a team will get you a round of golf on a first class course, and also a meal afterwards. For Tee times contact Rodney on 02886762574 or 07746576969.

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