CHS win Bannister Bowl

Cookstown High School u13…2 (Stanley Jackson & Noah Cuddy)

Banbridge Academy u13…2 (Daniel McKee & Owen Dobson)

(Cookstown won on Penalty Runs)  

Cookstown High School won their second Ulster Schools Cup in a week when they defeated Banbridge Academy in a hotly contested final at Havelock Park. This was a brilliant cup run by the High School defeating Killicomaine Junior High School, Friends School Lisburn, Campbell College and RBAI on the way to the final.  

The High School went into the game as underdogs having previously lost to the Banbridge school earlier in the season, but the locals started well immediately putting the Banbridge keeper under pressure. Joshua Ferguson who is improving every game was causing Banbridge real problems down the right-hand side. Cookstown took the lead in the 14th minute when year 8 Stanley Jackson scrambled the ball home after confusion in the Banbridge defence. Cookstown then scored a second after a well worked penalty corner routine paid off. The goal was scored by Noah Cuddy who had a fantastic week scoring the winner in the Ferris Cup and another in the Bannister Bowl. Cookstown forced some further opportunities but just couldn’t get the third. Banbridge had some sporadic attacks, but the back four of Ben Barbour, Charlie Costelloe, David Cuddy, and Will Redford were all having brilliant games. In the 24th minute Banbridge got their first penalty corner of the game, and the ball was flicked home well by Daniel McKee.  

After the break, Banbridge started to bring a lot more pressure to the Cookstown Defence, but Captain Charlie Costelloe continued to be the mainstay in keeping the score line the same. Bobbi Robinson was doing a good job at keeping Daniel McKee quiet and TJ Kelly was providing a good outlet down the left-hand side.   Banbridge forced their third penalty corner of the game in the 41st minute and this was expertly charged down by Costelloe, unfortunately the skipper had received an injury to his knee and had to leave the field. During this time Banbridge got their equaliser through another flick from a corner and it was backs against the wall defending to force the game into penalties.  

Marcus Gillis and Joshua Ferguson were the heroes in Penalty Runs, Marcus saving every penalty and Joshua scoring the all-important winner. When Gillis saved Banbridge’s last Penalty he was surrounded during the pitch invasion of jubilant High School supporters who had witnessed another important piece of silverware being returned to the Coolnafranky school.  

This is the first time the school have won both the U13 Schools Cup and U14 Schools Cup in the same season, and it illustrates the work that is being done to put the High School hockey back where it belongs as one of the main forces in Schools Hockey.  

THE ROAD TO THE FINAL

Killicomaine Junior High School…0

Cookstown High School…8 (Noah Cuddy 3, Stanley Jackson 3 & Charlie Costelloe 2)

Cookstown High School…6 (Callum Hewitt 3, Charlie Costelloe, Joshua Ferguson and Noah Cuddy)

Friends School Lisburn…0

Cookstown High School…1 (Noah Cuddy)

Campbell College…0

Cookstown High School…2 (Charlie Costelloe and Stanley Jackson)

Royal Belfast Academical Institute…0

Banbridge Academy…2

Cookstown High School…2 (Stanley Jackson and Noah Cuddy)

Cookstown Squad

1. Noah Cuddy (Vice Captain), 2. TJ Kelly, 3. David Cuddy, 4. Ben Barbour, 5. Charlie Costelloe (Captain), 6. Mathew Cunningham, 7. Will Redford, 8. Bobbi Robinson, 9. Callum Hewitt, 10. Joshua Ferguson, 11. Stanley Jackson, 12. Harry Jordan, 13. Ross Taylor, 14. Luke Johnston, 15. Caleb Crooks, 16. Matthew Buchannon, 17. Marcus Gillis (GK) & 18. David Nelson (GK)

Pen Portraits:

1 Noah Cuddy (Vice Captain)

Year 8, Noah Cuddy is an exciting prospect and can play anywhere on the pitch. He was the top scorer in the cup run and scored in both the Ferris Cup and Bannister Bowl in the same week.

2. TJ Kelly

Year 8, TJ Kelly is a very skilful midfielder who works very hard at his game.

3. David Cuddy

Year 9, David is an excellent man to man marker and has really improved this season. He is very athletic and is an important defender for the team.

4. Ben Barbour

Year 9, Ben has improved so much this season and is an excellent right back. He is a very good tackler can read the game well and is a good athlete.

5. Charlie Costelloe (Captain)

Year 9, Charlie is a superb player who critical to the success of the team, he is a very calm tackler, never loses out on a 1v1 battle and controls the pace of the game. Charlie had excellent back to back finals in both the Ferris Cup and Bannister Bowls.

6. Mathew Cunningham

Year 8, Matthew is a very good defender and can play anywhere across the back four.

7. Will Redford

Year 8, Will is the teams left back and is a very good tackler and distributer of the ball. He was important in the CHS outlet during the final.

8. Bobbi Robinson

Year 9, Bobbi is the teams centre midfielder and is very good at retaining the ball. He had an excellent final keeping their main player quiet for large periods.

9. Callum Hewitt

Year 9, Callum is a neat and tidy midfielder / forward and has some nice skills. He score a hattrick in the quarter final.

10. Joshua Ferguson

Year 8, Joshua is the teams flying winger and has really improved this season. He is a smart player who has setup loads of goals this season.

11. Stanley Jackson

Year 8, Stanley is an important goal scorer for the team and scored a hat trick in the first round and the first goal in the final.

12. Harry Jordan

Year 8, Harry is a fast forward who knows how to score, will be a very important player in next year’s Bannister Bowl team.

13. Ross Taylor

Ross is a very strong defender or midfielder and has really improved this season. 

14. Luke Johnston

Year 8, Luke Johnston is a very good defender and is improving every session.

15. Caleb Crooks

Year 9, Caleb is a very smart player who can read the game well. Has scored some important goals this season.

16. Matthew Buchannon

Year 9, Matthew is a fast midfielder / forward with some lovely skills.

17. Marcus Gillis

Year 8, Marcus was the hero in final saving every penalty run. Marcus has worked very hard this season to improve his goal keeping and has a big future in the game.

18. David Nelson

Year 9, David is an excellent shot stopper hardly conceding a goal all season. He is very calm and an important member of the squad.

CAPTAIN CHARLIE COSTELLOE

“What a brilliant day we had lifting the Bannister Bowl against Banbridge Academy in Banbridge. Our team has really improved from the start of the season and we knew we were underdogs going into the final, but we have quality in our team that will cause any opposition problems. It was a good game and Marcus was class in goals during the penalty runs.”

HEAD OF SPORT MICHAEL HAYCOCK

“The thing that stands out to me about the U13 team is that they all work together to play hockey the right way. They are an excellent passing team, and they have scored some brilliant goals this season, in particular the winner versus R.B.A.I. in the semi-final. Charlie Costelloe has been a very good captain and had an excellent game in the final. The boys have worked hard all year and considering that the starting XI contained six year eight pupils it shows that we have real strength and character coming through the school.

PRINCIPAL MISS G EVANS

“What a fantastic week for Hockey for our School. We had three boys’ teams in finals with two of them bringing home School Cups. It was fabulous to see such enthusiasm, hard work and character from our pupils. At our school we pride ourselves in promoting “team-work” and all three squads exemplified that ethos. Well done to all the squads and their respective coaches.”