BATTLING RAPHOE were undone by the concession of five first-half goals at the Royal and Prior today as Cookstown ran out 6-2 winners.
Raphoe 2 Cookstown 6
The Donegal side have had a difficult start to this season in the Ulster Premier League, but their defending today in the first half, particularly from Cookstown’s short corners, left Richard Eaton’s men with too much to do.
Ryan Miller’s brace and goals by Greg Allen, Cole Chambers and Paul Thompson had Cookstown 5-1 up, after Raphoe hit the front in the fourth minute through Luke Witherow.
[adrotate group=”85″]Any hopes of a Raphoe comeback were dashed when Allen netted early in the second half, although Witherow did pull one goal back for the game Donegal outfit.
It was Raphoe who made the breakthrough when Witherow converted past goalkeeper Tobias Depperann after Evan Lyttle centred following a fine move down the right-hand side.
The lead was short-lived, however as Thompson drilled home from a short corner, giving Johnny Rankin no chance.
Cookstown took the lead in the 10th minute when, from another short corner, Miller blasted to the roof of the net.
[adrotate group=”81″]Raphoe had a golden chance to draw level when a breakaway move culminated in John Watt rounding a defender, but shooting wide from a great position.
Cookstown scored three times between then and half-time. Raphoe didn’t deal with the initial danger with several shots blocked before Allen slammed past Rankin for a third goal for the visitors.
Aoon after, Miller netted a rebound and Miller turned provider for Chambers, who swept low to the net to make it 5-1.
Witherow was denied by Depperann but, eight minutes into the second half, Allen made it 6-1, scoring again from a short corner.
Raphoe did get a goal back when Witherow showed his brilliance to fire home after superb inter-play with Alexander Tinney.
Witherow twice went close to getting his hat-trick, but it wasn’t to be and, despite a decent second-half display, Raphoe went down to another defeat.
Raphoe: Johnny Rankin, Paul Stewart, Alan Meehan, Kit Regan, Alexander Tinney, William Kilpatrick, Jordan Devenney, Luke Witherow, Ian Gonigle, Alan Lyttle, Evan Lyttle, William Wauchope, John Watt, Tom Eaton.
Cookstown: Tobias Depperann, Cole Chambers, Ian Crooks, Godfrey Irwin, Greg Allen, Mark Croons, Matthew Robbins, Michael Kerr, Paul Thompson, Ryan Miller, Timothy Sloan, Mark Rooney, Keith Black, Andrew McWhirther, Gareth Cuddy.
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