Cockhill Celtic deservedly won the Ulster Senior Cup at a rain soaked Maginn Park on Saturday evening but Greencastle pushed them all the way and will be disappointed at the manner of the goals they conceded.
Cockhill Celtic …2 Greencastle …1
Cockhill had the majority of possession but Greencastle had the first chance on 8 minutes after a Ciaran Diver burst through the middle saw the ball fall to Odhran Kennedy whose first time effort clipped the outside of Daniel Houghtons right hand post.
Cockhill responded and Lee McColgan fired a thrity yards free just over before in a swift counter attack Luke Rudden fed Christy McLaughlin who cut in from the right but blazed over.Greencastle opened the scoring midway through the half after James Henry latched onto an under hit back pass wide on the left and lifted the ball over Houghton’s despairing sliding tackle before squaring to Brennan Moore who showed great composure before slotting into the bottom right hand corner from the edge of the area.
Cockhill upped the tempo after this with Rudden beating the offside trap and rounding Conor Browne but the keeper recovered brilliantly to diver the ball behind for a corner.
A Grabhan Friel dangerous cross was intercepted by Michael Barr then and from the corner Jason Breslins close range effort was beaten away by Browne . Greencastle went close then at the other end after Henrys cross was met by an acrobatic effort from Kennedy but it drifted wide.
On the stroke of half time Cockhill spurned a gilt edged chance after Corey McBride raced clear but Browne stood tall to block his effort on the edge of the area. Cockhill dominated the second half and Greencastle were forced deeper and deeper.
Peter Doherty had an effort deflected over before Rudden almost intercepted a Browne clearance. Browne then saved at full stretch to turn Breslins header away and a minute later Lee McLaughlins cross found the unmarked Rudden whose header crashed off the bar. Two goals in four minutes turned the game on its head then.
Cockhill equalised in the 67th minute when a Christy McLaughlin well hit free kick was parried by Browne but Lee McColgan reacted quickest to slam the loose ball home from eight yards. Four minutes later an inswinging Christy McLaughlin corner was headed home from close range by Friel to complete the comeback.
Greencastle did rally in the final fifteen minutes and when the space opened up for DJ Canavan he advanced and fired over from twenty five yards.
In the final minute a short free to Nathan Harkin saw him unleash a powerful drive that flew just past Houghtons left hand post. Cockhill saw out injury time to claim the cup after an entertaining clash.
Man of the Match
For Greencastle Conor Browne in goals, Michael Barr, Brennan Moore and especially James Henry all had very good games while for Cockhill Peter Doherty, James Bradley and Grabhan Friel were prominent.
But Jason Breslin was superb for the winners making vital interceptions in defence and being a huge threat in the Greencastle area forcing Browne into a number of saves.
