Hard earned point at Cookstown

North Down thirds travelled to play Cookstown fourths, the only other unbeaten team in the league, on Saturday. The home team started the stronger with a number of good chances and only some last ditch defending kept them out. The depleted North Down team settled to the task in hand and went one up after 15 minutes with a quick free leading to a good finish from Ben Willis. Some good play followed by the visitors but they couldn’t manage to get that finishing touch. Cookstown then evened the game up with a superb reverse finish from their centre forward to make it 1-1 at half time.

Cookstown started the second half with more purpose and soon went ahead with a carbon copy of their first goal. The County Tyrone boys stepped up the pressure and when they finally scored a third with only 10 minutes to go they must have thought that the game was won. However, the North Down team didn’t give up and fought back strongly A through ball from Andy Walls found Jonny Proctor who was able to tap the ball home. At 3-2 the thirds were back in it and Cookstown started to lose their discipline. Andy Walls won a free just outside the 22 metre line and found Mark Shannon who lost his marker and with a deft turn beat the keeper for the equaliser and a hard earned point to keep the unbeaten run going.