07 Oct Match Reports – 05/10/24
CYFC u13’s MUYL 2-1 Riverdale
This weekends fixture was against an inform Riverdale, both teams sat on 9 points each it was always going to be another tough game.
Joe mcaree stadium was the venue on what was more like a winters night, wet and windy we were hoping for an exciting match.
Our lads started really well, some great 1 touch passing up the right between Cathal, Cameron, Cillian and Jamie was great to watch. The pitch was huge and we were making the most of it. It was Jamie who got the opener this week, a looping effort from just outside the box seen the ball just go over the keepers head, 1 nil Cookstown. Jamie then turned provider with some neat footwork, he slipped it into Zack who seen his shot just go wide of the post. Riverdale had a 1 on 1 with Daniel who was equal to it and kept the score 1 nil at the break.
It was Riverdale on the front foot in the second half, our boys struggled to get going the way they started in the first half.
Big Riley was having another great game and the Riverdale striker was struggling to get away from him, Riley always strong in the tackle.
Riverdale got the equaliser when we failed to get the ball away in the box from a corner, 1 each. All boys were starting to show signs of tiredness and the game looked like the points were going to be shared, but just like last week they dug in for one final push and with 3 minutes left Noah played a nice pass to Zack who only had one thing on his mind, he dropped the shoulder, shook of the defender and pinged one from around 20 yards, the keeper got a hand to it but it was just too strong of a shot and found its way into the net, 2-1 Cookstown! Definitely a game of 2 halfs this one but it was our Lads who take the 3 points and up the road. Our man of the match this week was Zack Nellins, another week another winner, well done!
Four wins from 5 games in what looks like its going to be a very tight league.
Up next is the NI Cup next Saturday, boys have been drawn away to Greenisland National League side, so it will be another tough game, all support welcome.
Squad: D. Pavel, C. Devlin, R. Donnell, K. Kelly, R. Hughes, C. Donnelly, C. Conway, L. Montgomery, C. Ohagan, Z. Nellins, J. Loughran, N. Young, K. Kilgore, J. Donnelly, C. Sherman
CYFC u17’s MUYL 2-2 Lurgan Town
Cookstown had a home game in Dungannon and the opposition was Lurgan Town , The Cookstown boys were in confident mood after last week’s convincing win against Oxford Sunnyside.
Once again as in previous weeks Cookstown started the game quite well ,moving the ball quickly and forcing Lurgan back with a few corners and that is how the breakthrough was made a corner from Donnelly was met by Lucas Mcmurdie who got his first goal of the season.
As in previous games Cookstown then seemed to take there foot of the gas and almost allow Lurgan a route back into the game and that is what happened after a mixup in defense and credit to their striker who hit a volley high into the corner of the net giving Patterson no chance.
Cookstown continued to be sloppy with misplaced passes ,bad decision making and almost a lack of desire and were duly punished again with a well worked free kick from 20 yards out 2-1 half-time.
After some stern words from Coaches Donnelly and Warwick the 17s began to play the football we have been accustomed to. That coupled with more urgency and desire seen them dominate the 2nd half but Lurgan weren’t going to give up their 1 goal advantage without a fight.
Cookstown thought they had drew level when Caleb Talbot found the net but the referee called offside.
Other chances fell for Gibson , Wilson ,Mota but again the Lurgan defense stood strong .
10mins before the end the ball fell kindly for Gibson 7 yards out and he made no mistake to level proceedings 2-2 .. The last 10 minutes Cookstown continued to turn the screw on Lurgan but we must give them credit for fighting for every ball and not faltering under the pressure final score Cyfc 2-2 Lurgan Town
Although a good response in the 2nd half the u17s weren’t good enough today and although dominating for large parts of the game a draw was probably all we deserved on the Day .. Away to Markethill Swifts next week
Squad: Patterson, Russo , Mcmurdie, Burton , Price , Ferson, Mota , Donnelly ,Wilson , Talbot ,Gibson, Ferguson, Cassidy
CYFC u18’s 1-3 Coleraine
Last Friday evening CYFC u18’s travelled to Rugby Avenue 3G to face the Bannsiders in the NIYFA. With five wins on the bounce manager Nigel Donnelly was in a positive mood before this game against one of the Irish league giants.
But it was Coleraine in the 7th minute who opened the scoring after Cookstown’s defence failed to close down the Bannsider striker in their area as he drove home past Nathan Ferson in goal from 15 yards. A buoyant Coleraine took control of the game for the next 10 minutes with Cookstown finding it hard to outmanoeuvre a stubborn Coleraine midfield and defence. Colvin then tested the home keeper with a stinging drive from the edge of the box. Striker McGurk saw a good effort saved before Cichero broke free of his marker and struck the base of the right hand post and into the hands of a relieved Coleraine keeper just before the halftime whistle.
Coleraine then struck a second early into the second half thwarting an early Cookstown comeback. Wingback Loughran then saw a great headed chance fly over the bar on 55 minutes. He then had to leave the field after a heavy challenge from the Coleraine captain. Jamie Ferson replaced him on the right.
Minutes later Cookstown were back in the game when Colvin was upended in the box after a jinking run with Quinn stepping up to thunder home the penalty. Despite Coleraine’s persistent time wasting on kick outs and throw ins the Whites pushed and pushed for the equaliser with time running out. Burton then went close from a set piece. Unfortunately pushing an extra striker up front backfired in the very last minute of the game when Coleraine broke clear on the left and delivered a pinpoint pass to hit their third of the game.
A disappointing result and yet another poor start to the game with a tough fixture against Institute up next at Meadowbank.
Squad: N. Ferson, H. McKenzie, L. McMurdie, J. Burton, C. Loughran, J. Quinn, J. Donnelly, C. Cichero, J. Colvin, R. Burns, E. McGurk, J. Ferson, G. Russo.
