BRENDAN Moore bagged a hat-trick as Maiden City dumped Cockhill out of the North West of Ulster Intermediate Cup.
Cockhill Celtic 1 Maiden City 3
By Chris McNulty at the Charlie O’Donnell Sports Grounds
Moore’s second-half treble saw Maiden City come from behind after Adam Duffy’s opener.
Cockhill boss Gavin Cullen sent for the heavy artillery for the last half-an-hour but the USL champions couldn’t claw back.
Duffy headed Cockhill in front on 14 minutes as he connected with a delicious Christy McLaughlin Cross to nod home.
Patrick Hargan, the Maiden City centre-back, heeded over from a corner as the sought a way back.
The lively Moore was causing trouble and was twice denied by Bradley Callagahn blocks.
Eoghan Jordan, the Cockhill ‘keeper, did well to hold from Moore.
Gearóid McDermott drilled wide from 20 yards after Cockhill didn’t clear a set piece.
Moore tried his luck again, but couldn’t hold on before Adam McLaughlin was denied by Gareth Muldoon when the Cockhill midfielder will feel he ought to have tested the opposition number 1.
Muldoon, Paul Simon Tracey and Kealan McDermott were among the ex-USL players in the Maiden City ranks.
Moore was thwarted by Jordan before he drew level on 53 minutes. Moore got in around the back and, with Jordan appearing to momentarily lose his footing, clipped home the equaliser.
Duffy should have put Cockhill ahead, but Muldoon saved when his rearguard stopped to wait on an offside flag that never arrived.
Sub Bradley let fly and wasn’t far off while the midfielder headed off target.
Moore put the visitors ahead when’re broke free and got in to round Jordan and score on the hour.
With 17 minutes to go, McDermott fed Moore for his hat-trick.
Try as they might, Cockhill – who left a number of their big guns out – couldn’t pull back the deficit and Maiden City go on to face Derry City in a quarter-final.
Cockhill Celtic: Eoghan Jordan, Bradley Callaghan, Lee McColgan, Oran O’Brien-Daly, Oisin McColgan, Ronan Doherty, Daniel Doherty, Adam McLaughlin, Adam Duffy, Mark Moran, Christy McLaughlin. Subs: Jimmy Bradley, Laurence Toland and Stephen Duffy for D.Doherty, Moran, McLaughlin (63), Paul McKinney for A.Duffy (79).
Maiden City: Gareth Muldoon, David Lavery, Robbie Donnell, Patrick Hargan, Jamie Robinson, Darragh Coyle, Kealan McDermott, Paul Simon Tracey, Gearoid McDermott, Dylan Mooney, Brendan Moore. Subs: Tiarnan O’Connor for Mooney (15), Josh Ker for Tracey (68), Ryan McCaul for G.McDermott (81), John Deeney for Moore (88).
Referee: Packie Coll
