High school off to winning start

THIS WAS Cookstown’s first competitive match of the 2011/12 season and their first game of the McCullough Cup group stage and they managed to win after a hard-fought match. Cookstown started shakily with a number of players struggling to find their feet in the opening stages.

Cookstown went a goal down after a crashed ball into the D was stopped and finished with aplomb. Ryan Millar, who was battling hard in midfield, set up the equaliser with a quick hit into the Sullivan ‘D’ which was deflected superbly by Tony Johnston.

Ian Johnston, playing at left midfield against Sullivan’s top player, was having an excellent game showing great technique in defence with many blocks and slide tackles. Sullivan, however, grabbed the lead back with a very scrappy goal with their second shot of the match and the score stayed at 2-1 until half time.

Five minutes into the second half Ian Sloan entered the fray and it was his 3 goals in 10 minutes to make it 4-2 that decided the match. Firstly, he won and scored a short corner with a drag flick before deflecting in a great pass from Ian Johnston and then grabbing his hat-trick with a low reverse after great play from Paul Watt.

Cookstown continued to battle hard when Sloan went back off with Crooks and Rollins making some vital blocks when it looked as though Sullivan could peg one back. Sullivan did manage to pull it back to 4-3 when Kirkpatrick couldn’t keep out a high drag flick on his stick side but the team held on to get the 3 points.

The boys would like to thank Ian Cheevers for umpiring and Mr Cuddy and Mr Haycock for coaching.

Squad: Kirkpatrick, Gillis, Rollins, Crooks, Ferguson, P Johnston, R Johnston, Millar, I Johnston, T Sloan, T Johnston, Donaldson, Watt, J Anderson, C Anderson, Sloan (captain).