At a blustery Lisnagarvey, Sullivan faced Friends School, Lisburn in the final of the McCullough Cup. The match was a tense affair with Friends having a few early penalty corners, with one saved of the line by Paddy Crookshanks and the other a good save from keeper, Tom McCord. Sullivan started to come into the game and took a halftime lead through a penalty corner, with Paddy Crookshanks scoring. The eager Sullivan supporters thought that this would spur the team on.
Halftime – Sullivan 1 (Crookshanks) – Friends 0
Friends started the best after the break and pushed and pushed at Sullivan, finally breaking through with a penalty corner. This was followed after by a lot of Sullivan pressure. Friends made a break and scored a second. Sullivan, not having their best match, continued to push and push. Sullivan won a penalty corner, then with the whistle gone, a few others, eventually resulting in a goal from Harry Morris, touching in a Matthew Willis shot at the back post.
Fulltime – Sullivan 2 (Crookshanks and Morris) – Friends 2
Extra time followed, with the thought of a silver goal. No more goals followed in extra time, so it was down to penalty strokes.
Both teams scored their opening strokes – Harry Morris, then Tom McCord made a save for Sullivan and Paddy Crookshanks scored. Both teams scored their third stroke – Tom Robson for Sullivan. Friends saved from Matthew Willis and Friends scored. Both teams sitting at 3 all with one to go, Tom McCord made another, vital, save. It was now up to captain Fergus Gibson to slot home his penalty stroke and Sullivan won.
Sullivan win 4 – 3 on Penalty Strokes
Congratulations to Paddy Crookshanks who was named Man of the Match
The team were: T McCord, P Crookshanks, M Willis, T Robson (VC), M Trimble, C Carson, F Gibson (C), M Morris, H Morris, S Erskine, D Girvin, F Kerr, P Rose, I Hart, T McClintock D Erskine and J McAuley (GK)
Coaches: Mr P Osborne and Mr A Williamson
Please see link below to the BBC News item: