08 Dec Match Reports – 30/11/24
CYFC u17’s MUYL 2-1 Loughgall
Cookstown started the game very sluggish and found themselves under pressure in the early exchanges of the game.
Loughgall deservedly made the breakthrough from a thunderbolt of a free kick which gave Mcelhatton no chance in between the Cookstown sticks.
As the half progressed Cookstown found it hard to play the football we have been accustomed to playing but credit must go to Loughgall for working hard and giving us no time on the ball.
Cookstown did get the equalizer 10mins before half-time when Nani found himself 1 on 1 with the Loughgall gk and he placed the ball beautifully into the net to level proceedings. Half-time 1-1
A stern talk at half-time from Donnelly and Warwick and the message was simple everyone had to lift their game and get the ball down and play football and to speed everything up.
Cookstown did start to look more lively and started to dominate the ball in midfield against a very physical Loughgall side.
With both teams battling hard all over the pitch chances were at a premium, substitute Cassidy did have a good run down the left with his cross finding Wilson on the edge of the box but he couldn’t keep his shot down .
At this stage Cookstown looked the more likely but time was running out ,but with 5 mins left a great ball over the top from Donnelly and with pressure from Talbot the defender and gk half cleared the ball which fell to Cassidy and he composed himself to stroke the ball home into the empty net to win the game and keep the winning run going for Cookstown. Full-time 2-1
A unusually lethargic performance from the u17s but credit to Loughgall who made it a hard task for Cookstown to get the Win .. The sign of a good team when not at their best they still found a way to win ,well done lads
Squad: Mcelhatton, Mcmurdie, Ferson ,Russo, Price , Patterson ,Donnelly , Dionisio , Trevonn, Wilson ,Talbot ,Nani ,Ferguson , Cassidy , Mcgirr