Sunday stroll sets up a derby final

BANN 4 COOKSTOWN 0

The visiting Ulster Premier League winners failed to put much pressure on the defending champions as Bann could easily have doubled Sunday’s scoreline.

Johnny McKee gave Bann the lead early on when he swept the ball, on his reverse, high into the goal.

Despite a couple of penalty corners for Cookstown, the home side should have gone further ahead but Matthew McKee and Owen Magee both had shots go wide, while the goalkeeper produced great saves from Tommy Orr and Louis Rowe.

As half-time approached, Rowe stole the ball from a defender and cheekily rolled it through the goalkeeper's legs to the relief of the large home support.

From Bann’s first penalty corner of the second half, Rowe’s drag flick was saved but Orr was on hand to blast the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

Matthew McKee, Phillip Brown and Alexander Tinney all had chances to score, before Orr broke down the right flank and set up Matty McKee to tap the ball home at the back post to complete the scoring.

Banbridge return to EY League action after the Easter holidays when they host the students from UCD at Havelock Park on Saturday, April 6.

Squad: Luke Roleston (GK), Alexander Tinney (captain), Jake Rowe, Mark Cowan, Phillip Brown, Sam Farson, Peter Brown, Charlie Rowe, Owen Magee, Hugh McShane, Tommy Dobson, Josh Moffett, Johnny McKee, Louis Rowe, Matthew McKee, Tommy Orr.

Team sponsors: EOS and Ulster Carpets.

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MONKSTOWN 5 BANN 2

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Banbridge fell to their first league defeat of the season away to Monkstown in Dublin on Saturday.

Despite hitting both the post and the crossbar during the opening period, Bann found themselves two goals behind at quarter-time with the home team scoring from their only entries into the Bann circle.

Four penalty corners for the visitors all failed to produce a goal, and Irish midfielder Peter Brown couldn’t find his radar as he firstly shot wide of the post and then put his reverse effort over the bar.

His international colleague Johnny McKee saw his shot scrambled clear by the home goalkeeper, before he tapped home his next opportunity as the ball bounced around in the circle to give Bann some hope.

However, by half-time Monkstown had restored their two-goal lead when they attacked the Bann circle at speed down the left flank and crashed the ball beyond Luke Roleston.

From seven penalty corners in the second half, Bann couldn’t find the back of the net as their open play became ragged.

Monkstown increased their lead after weak defensive play but minutes later Johnny McKee scored Bann’s second goal of the afternoon from the penalty spot after a poor tackle on Josh Moffett.

Bann’s discipline deteriorated as the game neared its end and Monkstown scored from their only penalty corner with their visitors only having nine players on the pitch.

Indeed, it could have been worse for Bann after Monkstown were also awarded a penalty stroke but the flick was put wide of Roleston’s goal.

Squad: Luke Roleston (GK), Alexander Tinney (captain), Jake Rowe, Phillip Brown, Mark Cowan, Sam Farson, Owen Magee, Hugh McShane, Peter Brown, Charlie Rowe, Luke Witherow, Josh Moffett, Tommy Orr, Johnny McKee, Louis Rowe, Matthew McKee.

​BANN 2s 2 INST 2s 0

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Saturday afternoon saw the visit of Inst 2nds to Havelock Park in a Junior League 1 fixture.

Things started quickly for Banbridge, and it was in the sixth minute that Josh Brownlee calmly slotted a goal from open play to kick-start the scoring.

Inst never looked like scoring for the entire match, such was the control of possession the talented young Bann squad enjoyed.

All that was missing was the finish in front of goal with Adam McKee, James Evans, Brownlee, Livingstone and McCandless all guilty of misses.

The Inst keeper acquitted himself admirably, and kept the attacks at bay. John McCague also missed a chance.

CONTROL

Ben Walker made it 2-0 just before quarter time, from another well-executed set piece penalty corner.

The second half went the same way as the first, with Banbridge in complete control. However, chances in the attacking circle went begging as the pressure on Inst mounted.

This result keeps the unbeaten season going and Bann stay top of Junior League 1, with four games remaining.

It was another dominant display by the young squad, as they enter the critical end of season phase.

SEMI-FINAL

They're now heading into the Irish Junior Cup semi-final against Lisnagarvey 2s on Saturday, April 6; 1pm, Comber Road.

Hopefully, the young talented squad can produce another massive display and secure their place in the final.

Thanks from the team to Glenn Marshall for umpiring. Team sponsor: PHL Hydraulics.