ONE OF THE BIGGEST pre-season tournament in Ireland will pit three of the top sides in the country against each other at Cookstown on September 2-5.
Former Ulster winners, Annadale, and Premier League custodians Mossley will compete with the home side, current Premier League champs Cookstown, as well as Leinster starlets, Corinthian, for the prestigious title, presented in memory of former Cookstown player Nigel Cheevers.
Taking place just a matter of weeks before the beginning of the new season, the outstanding teams on show will be hell bent on getting one over on their rivals before the start of real proceedings.
But more than usual is up for grabs in this year’s Cheevers’ Tournment as Annadale, Corinthian and Cookstown will be in the same group when Ireland’s premier competition, the IHL, kicks into action in late autumn. All will be testing the surface for potential weaknesses and undoubted strengths so that when they cross swords again they will hold the advantage.
And the action is not just limited to the men’s side as Cookstown Ladies will take on the talented girls from Rainey, Raphoe and PSNI for the Ladies’ title on the same weekend.
It promises to be a wonderful weekend of early season hockey for all fans of good sport.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2
7pm Cookstown Ladies v Raphoe Ladies
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
7.30pm Cookstown v Mossley
9pm Annadale v Corinthians
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
10am Cookstown Ladies v PSNI Ladies
2pm Cookstown v Corinthian
3pm Rainey Ladies v PSNI Ladies
4pm Mossley v Annadale
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
9.30am Cookstown Ladies v Rainey Ladies
10am Raphoe Ladies v PSNI Ladies
11am Corinthian v Mossley
1pm Cookstown v Annadale
2pm Raphoe Ladies v Rainey Ladies
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lisnagarvey | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | +34 | 22 |
| Banbridge | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | +20 | 13 |
| NICS | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | +1 | 13 |
| Annadale | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | +10 | 12 |
| Instonians | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | +3 | 10 |
| Mossley | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | -15 | 9 |
| Kilkeel | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | -8 | 8 |
| Cookstown | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | +16 | 6 |
| B. Harlequins | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | -32 | 3 |
| North Down | 9 | 0 | 2 | 7 | -29 | 2 |
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victorians | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | +18 | 22 |
| North Down | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | +18 | 18 |
| NICS | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | +6 | 16 |
| Portadown | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | +5 | 15 |
| Greenisland | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 13 |
| Ballymena | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | -2 | 11 |
| Cookstown | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | -5 | 11 |
| Priorians | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -10 | 6 |
| Knock | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | -10 | 5 |
| Omagh | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | -12 | 4 |