Sunday 09 October 2005
LOUGHMACRORY 0 - 10 1 - 12 COOKSTOWN
Cookstown prove too much
Cookstown continued their unbeaten league run in Páirc an Locha on Sunday evening without showing any of the form which has placed them at the top of the division 1B table. In fact both teams looked rusty in a game which was played in blustery conditions and failed to really ever spark to life.
The sides were level at two points apiece at the end of the first quarter, Loughmacrory scores coming from Ronan Ward (free) and Ciarán Ward. Damien McAleer then put the home side one up with a fine effort but Cookstown restored parity almost immediately. A great save from the penalty spot by Loughmacrory keeper Mattie O’Brien gave the home side some heart and although Enda Ward put the Lough a point up once more Cookstown replied with the only goal of the game in the fifteenth minute and finished the half strongly with three points to take a 1 - 06 to 0 - 05 half time lead.
With the wind at their backs Loughmacrory put on some pressure early in the second half but made little headway on the scoreboard as points from Ronan Ward and Shane Coyle were cancelled out by similar scores from the Father Rocks.
Despite further concerted pressure from the home side they failed to make any inroads in the lead as both Ciarán Ward and Ronan Ward scorned goal opportunities. When Brendan Ward was brought down in the square Ronan Ward’s poorly struck penalty was easily parried round the post by the keeper and the resultant 45 sailed harmlessly wide.
A long range point from Stevie Conway and a pointed free from Ronan Ward completed Loughmacrory’s scoring as they ended the game five points adrift of the league leaders.
