Heavy defeat for injury hit Raphoe in Ulster Premier League

Raphoe 1st XI Mens travelled to Coookstown on Saturday to take on the league champions and current league leaders in the Ulster Hockey Premier League. 

Cookstown 9

Raphoe 1

Being fully aware of Cookstowns threat in Front of goal, Raphoe needed to defend well from the start, but with Jordan Devenney and Matthew Lecky both out through injury this was set to be a big challenge for Raphoe. 

However, a few early soft penalty corners were given away, Jack Haycock made no mistake with two of these and Scott McCabe madeit 3-0 in the first quarter.

The second and third quarters were to be much the same, eight more penalty corners conceded resulting in another three goals. Haycock completed his hat-trick, McCabe grabbed a second and Kerr netted his first and Cookstown's sixth.  

Eaton, Meehan and Moore did well to deal with the rest.

The fourth quarter saw Raphoe improve. Sam McKnight and Caine Johnston who both ran tirelessly throughout had chances denied by the Cookstown stopper.

Eventually, Raphoe got a goal. An aerial ball over the top from Simon Goudie was well controlled by George Patterson who found himself one on one with the keeper. Patterson was fouled by a Cookstown defender who miraculously escaped without a card.

Goudie had the resulting penalty corner saved but the rebound was put away well by George Patterson.

A small shine of light for Raphoe whose day was about to get worse. An unfortunate challenge on Raphoe defender, Keith Meehan, left him with a bad injury, the game was stopped for some time as Meehan was seen to.

The defender broke his fibula and dislocated his ankle and the Raphoe club would like to wish him a speedy recovery. 

Next up for Raphoe is an away game to South Antrim.

Raphoe: D.Moore, T.Eaton, S.McKnight, C.Johnston, G.Patterson, L.Stewart, S.Goudie, J.Watt, J.Wilson, K.Meehan, A.Meehan, E.Lyttle