Four for Johnny as Cookstown are sizzled in quarters
His side smashed nine past Cookstown High School in a fixture that has a lot of history.
After some impressive one-two play between Robbie Scott and Sam Farson, the ball found its way to Johnny McKee who broke the deadlock with a powerful shot past the keeper.
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Hide AdMcKee made it two from the next short corner and then Sam Farson skillfully dribbled past several Cookstown defenders to slot into the bottom corner for 3-0 at the break.
Coach Mark Cordner urged his side to settle and begin passing the ball the way they were capable of and they soon restarted the scoring.
Farson quickly grabbed his second with a clever lift over the keeper into the net. McKee then got his hat-trick with a cool finish past the keeper.
It was becoming evident that Cookstown had no answer for the passing and pace of Banbridge and with some great link up play down the left from Ben Knox and Robbie Scott, Bann were awarded another short corner. This time McKee launched a ball towards the net and it thundered off the crossbar and in for his fourth.
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Hide AdBann did not allow the pace of the game to stop and Matthew Hurst got Bann’s seventh with an instinctive finish past the keeper.
After some Cookstown pressure on the Bann defence, McKee sent the forwards on a counter attack and Charlie Norris set up David Armstrong in the circle to coolly finish into the net.
With 10 minutes to go, the Cookstown keeper continued to make good saves as David Gallagher had an upright reverse edge outside the post. With a few minutes to go, Robbie Scott stylishly slotted the ball past the keeper to finish off the game. The match finished 9-0 and Bann now advance to the semi-final on Wednesday.
The boys are sponsored by The Belmont Hotel Banbridge and NFU Mutual, Banbridge.