Men’s Premier League Roundup: Cookstown celebrate title success

In the Ulster Men’s Premier League, champions Cookstown celebrated lifting the title with a sensational 12-2 win over North Down.

Captain and top scorer Jack Haycock was the star performer for the side as he netted three penalty corners and stroke in the first half alongside efforts from Scott McCabe and Ryan Millar to give their side a 6-0 lead at the midway stage.

The hosts dominance continued into the second half when Haycock struck for his fifth of the afternoon picking out the top right corner with another perfectly executed drag flick.

Forward Greg Allen then netted the goal of the day as he latched on to an aerial into the circle before volleying over both his head and the goalkeeper before finding the back of the net.

Meanwhile there were also late goals for Haycock, McCabe, Mark Cuddy and Daniel Kerr to round of the scoring for the champions.

There were two consolation efforts for the visitors but with no impact on the end result, they now go into their relegation playoff off the back of their heaviest defeat of the campaign.

Elsewhere on Saturday, Belfast Harlequins beat local rivals Instonians 5-3 to end their season with a win,

After a goalless first quarter, it was Harlequins who stormed into a 4-0 lead by half time after Cameron Ruttle netted twice in five minutes to break the deadlock at the beginning of the second quarter.

The side soon added to their advantage when Ruttle saw another effort saved before youngster Owen Cregithon converted the rebound to make it 3-0 and Matthew Gray found Stephen McGrath for a fourth.

In the third quarter Instonians halved the deficit with two deflected efforts from Stephen Kelso and Josh Kidd but it wasn’t to be for the Shaw’s Bridge side as Ruttle completed his hat-trick before a late Ben Palmer consolation effort.

The win sees Harlequins finish the season fifth, just missing out on EYHL2 by goal difference, whilst Instonians have one game remaining this season against Cookstown.