Moffatt makes it three in a row for Academy

Friends School, Lisburn 2

(after extra time)

JOSH Moffatt celebrated his first game this year in style, when he cracked home the extra time winner, to make it a hat-trick of Burney Cup titles for Banbridge Academy.

Moffatt, who has been out injured for most of this season, was only on the pitch for his second spell, when he collected a cross from Rory Woods to take the ball on the reverse side and hammered it past Michael Agnew in the Friends goal for the winner.

Banbridge Academy coach, Steven Dawson praised the character of his side.

He said: “We started extremely well, going two goals up and then switched off for a while.

“Friends put us under a lot of pressure, particularly in the second half and in some respects I was quite happy to get to extra time.

“Friends were there for the challenge but we always do it the hard way and at least we got there.

“We had six guys who left last year and to bring in players to fill those places and win an Irish Schools and Burney Cup, is a fantastic achievement by the team.

“Josh has a knack of being in the right place at the right time and he certainly knows where the goal is.”

Bann had a dream start , as they were two up after only six minutes.

Owen Magee’s strike in the third minute was followed by Matthew’s Bell’s drag flick.

But Friends, who were on the hunt for their 16th Burney Cup win were undeterred.

Just before half time, Haddyn Cartmill forced home through a goal-mouth scramble to give his side a life-line going into the turn.

After the interval, the sides were evenly matched as they tried to pierce two superb defences but it was Friends who struck, when Robert Cummins was on the end of a switched short-corner routine and he smashed the ball home for the equaliser.

The Lisburn boys had clawed their way back into the game and Bann were now on the ropes.

Play was swinging from end to end, as both sides went in search of the winner.

And with only a minute remaining, when Friends were awarded a hotly disputed penalty stroke, it looked as though the cup was heading to Lisburn.

But after the two umpires consulte, the decision was reversed and a penalty corner was awarded instead.

Into extra time and up stepped Moffatt, who had been a mere spectator for most of the game.

He came on and grabbed the winning goal to complete only a Schools’ Cup double for the Academy, as they already have the All Ireland title in their trophy cabinet.

There was also history in the making, as Owen Magee and Matthew Bell who were playing their last game for the school, won their third Burney Cup medal to add to their two All Ireland titles.

There was consolation for Friends, when Hadynn Cartmill was named man of the match.

Banbridge Academy Squad: Michael Anderson (GK), P Bingham (GK), Michael Duggan, Peter Bennington, Matthew Bell (VC), Thomas Sturgeon, Johnny McKee, Peter Brown, Ben Cosgrove, Rory Woods, Owen Magee (C), Andrew Dickson, John McCague, Matthew Warnock, Andrew Bingham

Friends School Squad: Michael Agnew (GK), Martin Bothwell, Matthew Sullivan, Mark Fair, Jordan McCready, Chris Alexander (GK), Robert Cumins, Haddyn Cartmill, Matthew Getty, Ben Conn, Andrew Allen, Nathan Gamble, Mark Conn, Paul Tinsley, John Semple, Jack Henderson.