Cookstown Hockey Club

David Ames controls the Ball

Ames, of course, has been featuring in recent internationals but Lynch has been overlooked following a health scare at the tailend of last season. But both are now showing the type of form that could help them establish themselves in the Irish squad ahead of the 2011 Europeans.
Lynch didn’t get on the scoresheet but he was the man that made Garvey tick as they took revenge on Three Rock for the previous week’s cup defeat with a thumping 7-0 success.
He ran the midfield, sprayed the ball around, and was instrumental as Timmy Cockram struck five times in a tremendous team performance.
Ames is just getting back from injury but for the second week he scored twice from midfield, his double helping Cookstown to their 3- 1 win over Annadale.
Otherwise, results weren’t great for Ulster teams in the IHL with Instonians losing 3-0 at home to current champions Pembroke and Banbridge having to share the points in a 3-3 draw at Leinster League leaders Corinthians after being two goals ahead.
Garvey now lead Pool B by two points from Glenanne with Cookstown still in the hunt a further two points adrift, while Banbridge and Instonians remain in the frame in Pool A although Pembroke look home and dry for top spot.
In the only Ulster Premier League game Mossley beat Raphoe 3-0 to leave the Donegal men four points adrift at the bottom.
Civil Service will meet Suttonians in the Irish Hockey Trophy final, after the Stormont men edged out Antrim 3-2 and the north Dublin side beat Belfast Harlequins 2-1 at Deramore. But Ulster interest in the Irish Hockey Challenge ended with Larne’s 3-0 defeat at Limerick.
Holders Campbellians withdrew when opponents asked them to play on a GRASS pitch — the Belfast club refused because it would have meant purchasing studded boots, something which hockey players haven’t been using for many years!
The withdrawal seems to have been accepted by the IHA and, indeed if it is, the association and St Brendan’s will stand ridiculed and accused of dragging the game back into the dark ages.
Finally, South Antrim retained Division One’s Linden Cup after beating Armagh on penalty strokes at Lisnagarvey yesterday.
Chris Henry and Ward Phillips were on the mark for the Lisburn side while Greg Croft and David Warnock scored for Armagh.
But South goalkeeper Paul Montgomery was the hero as his team won 4-1 in the shoot-out.