Newry Olympic 2-3 Cookstown

Newry’s first game of the new year was not going to be an easy one as they hosted league leaders Cookstown on Saturday. The home side gave a good account of themselves as they narrowly lost 3-2.

It was the underdogs who started the brighter of the two teams, forcing two early corners but could not convert. Newry were happy to sit back and soak up pressure for periods before hitting on the counter and it was one of these counter attacks that provided the break through with Peter McKnight finding Kris Fletcher who fired home high over the keeper.

Cookstown started to apply more pressure and a smartly taking reverse stick shot from the top of the circle provided them with the equaliser in the second quarter.

Early in the second half Cookstown got their second with another early shot from the top of the circle. Newry were still in the game and forced more short corners narrowly missing to get the scores back level.

Very early in the fourth quarter Cookstown got their third when they scrambled home a short corner of their own. However Newry still fought back and Ivan Steen got their second. Time was running out however and Newry were unable to find the equaliser in the close hard fought game.

Newry Olympic

R. Henning, C. Henning, C. Holmes, A. Baird, J. Greer (Capt), I. Steen, N. Davenport, C. McKnight, K. Fletcher, K. McWilliams, P. McKnight, A. Shekleton, J. Gregg, M. McCullough, J. Porter, D. Liggett