Nine’s just fine for Bann as Fraser nets a hat-trick

With a late push back, Bann, sponsored by Edina, looked nervous at the start of the game with seven players missing due to injury and the school’s upcoming All Irelands ruling the schoolboys unavailable.

Cookstown pushed hard but the Bann defence stood strong with the wise heads of Colin Dowds and Simon Jess controlling the back line.

Bann grew into the game and in a 15 minute spell of dominant play, they went 4-0 ahead.

That was thanks to goals from Bill Malcolmson, two from Fraser Mills and the fox in the box that is David McAnulty.

At half-time, Bann were dealt a blow with birthday boy Dowds picking up an injury seeing him having to come off, but this didn’t stop Bann.

They showed their strength and racked up another four goals in 20 minutes with Gary Dean getting two, Fraser Mills completing his hat-trick and Sam Farson getting a well-deserved goal for all his hard work in the middle of the pitch to make it 8-0 to the home team.

Cookstown went all guns blazing for the last 15 minutes and dominated the last part of the game.

However, Bann held strong with some great last ditch tackles from Ben Knox and Niall Kelly showing all their class and some good saves from captain Bingham in nets.

The pressure told at the end when Cookstown got a goal back with a minute remaining but Bann regained their eight goal cushion 30 seconds later after Malcolmson smashed home a short corner.

Bann’s MOTM we nt to Sam Farson.

The Seconds now face a tough away trip to Kilkeel on Saturday to take on their Seconds.