Clinical Cookstown hit Sarsfields for six

Cookstown 6-20  Drumragh 3-12

CLINICAL Cookstown proved too strong for Drumragh at sunny Paddy Cullen Park, on Friday evening. Four goals in a breathtaking seven first half minutes, demonstrated the home side’s dominance, as they maintained their 100 per-cent record in ACL Division 3A, after eight games.

Niall McCarney opened the scoring for the Sarsfields, within the opening minute. After winning the throw in, he exchanged passes with Daniel O’Neill, before splitting the posts from 35 metres. At the other end brothers Lorcan and Niall McMurray were both on target as Cookstown edged in front. The home side were exerting serious pressure on Patrick Colgan’s kick outs.

Niall McMurray and Conall Sheehy were winning the aerial battle, with Michael Oscar Devlin and Nathan Connolly expertly securing the break ball. Michael McElhatton, Lorcan McMurray and Matthew Carberry registered scores in the opening ten minutes.

Wing back Eamonn McCann responding with a point from inside the arc after good work from McCarney.

The first goal arrived in the eleventh minute. Nathan Connolly won the break before sprinting at the heart of the Drumragh defence, playing, a one two with Conall Sheehy before blasting to the net. Daniel O’Neill did respond for Drumragh with a free but the direct play and support running was causing major issues for the Sarsfields.

The second goal saw Karol Wawrynkiewicz get on the end of a flowing move after excellent work from Potter and Sheehy in the 15th minute. Connolly won the resultant kick out, striding forward and calmly finished to the net, and minutes later corner back John McIvor got the fourth after being teed up by Lorcan McMurray.

Michael McElhatton also hit the crossbar, while Lorcan McMurray and Barry Potter added points as the home side eased out of sight.

Niall McCarney did force a good save from McElhatton in the 21st minute but a fifth goal from Michael Oscar Devlin saw the home side lead 5-10 to 0-6 at the interval.

Playing for a bit of pride Drumragh were rewarded after a quick start to the second period Daniel O’Neill kicked a two point free off the deck before Malachy McManus breached Cookstown’s defence to fire home.

A brace of Karol McGuigan points and a third from Sheehy kept the scoreboard ticking for the Fr Rocks and when Peter McGurk raced on to Connolly’s through ball he punched it past the advancing Colgan for goal six, McGurk also helped himself to a couple of points after his half
time introduction.

With ten minutes remaining Niall McCarney drilled a penalty low into the net after Conor Gormley had been fouled.

Paddy Colgan did venture up the field to kick a point and Frankie Monk was quickest to react after O’Neill’s shot had been saved to claim Drumragh’s third goal, with five remaining. Conall Sheehy and Niall McCarney swapping points to complete the scoring in a high scoring, comfortable victory for the home side.

This result leaves Cookstown two points behind league leaders Clogher, but they have two games in hand. Any faint hopes that Drumragh may have had of the league are now extinguished and their focus will quickly turn to Championship preparation

Scorers

Cookstown: Nathan Connolly (2-0), Peter McGurk (1-2), Conall Sheehy (0-4), Karol Wawrynkiewicz (1-0), Oscar Devlin (1-0), John McIvor (1-0), Karol McGuigan (0-3), Lorcan McMurray (0-3), Barry Potter (0-2), Michael McElhatton (0-2), Matthew Carberry (0-2), Niall McMurray, Corey McGarrity (0-1 each).

Drumragh: Niall McCarney (1-3), Daniel O’Neill (0-5), Frankie Monk (1-0), Malachy McManus (1-0), Eamonn McCann (0-2), Patrick Colgan, Alex McGlinchey (0-1 each).

Teams

Cookstown: Danny McElhatton, Matthew McCann, Conor Donnelly, John McIvor, Michael Oscar
Devlin, Luke Neeson, Karol Wawrynkiewicz, Conall Sheehy, Niall McMurray, Karol McGuigan, Michael McElhatton, Barry Potter, Lorcan McMurray, Matthew Carberry, Nathan Connolly. Subs: Peter McGurk for L McMurray, Keegan Hampsey for Wawrynkiewicz, Luke Cullen for Neeson, Corey McGarrity for Carberry, Eoghan Donnelly for Potter.

Drumragh: Patrick Colgan, Carraig McKenna, Barry Fitzgerald, Alex McGlinchey, Eamonn McCann, Sean McGale, Michael Roche, Niall McCarney, Brendan Quinn, Malachy McManus, Daniel O’Neill, Ben Monk, Niall Maguire, Ronan Maguire, Cormac Dolan. Subs: Conor Gormley for Dolan, Frankie Monk for N Maguire, Ryan Montgomery for McManus.