Wallace High eye rare schoolboys’ double; Sullivan also through to Burney Cup final

Wallace High kept on course for a rare school boy hockey double success on Wednesday when they defeated Banbridge Academy 4-1 at Lisnagarvey to book their place in the John Minnis Estate Agents Burney Cup final.
Sullivan Upper goalscorer Matthew MorrisSullivan Upper goalscorer Matthew Morris
Sullivan Upper goalscorer Matthew Morris

The Lisburn school will meet Sullivan Upper in the 99th Burney decider at Stormont on March 28 after they comfortably beat Methodist College 4-0 in the first semi final at Comber Road.

For the Holywood outfit it will be an opportunity to avenge their McCullough Cup final loss while Wallace will be aiming to achieve the double by winning schoolboy hockey’s two most prestigious trophies in the same season.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The second semi was a much tighter affair than the game which preceded it and it took a string of excellent saves from Ben Cooke, including one from the penalty spot to prevent Banbridge from equalising at 2-1 down in the second half.

Wallace High's Troy Chambers who scored twice against Banbridge AcademyWallace High's Troy Chambers who scored twice against Banbridge Academy
Wallace High's Troy Chambers who scored twice against Banbridge Academy

Troy Chambers gave Wallace a dream start when he scored after only six minutes but Philip Campbell levelled matters 15 minutes later.

Two minutes before the break, Wallace captain Johnny Lynch made it 2-1 from a penalty corner drag flick.

Cooke pulled off a series of fine stops after the interval, notably from Bann’s set-piece dangerman, Edward Rowe, as they pressed hard for an equaliser.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But Troy Chambers got the insurance goal with nine minutes left, from a well executed penalty corner drag flick and Thomas Cherry put the icing on the cake in the dying moments with number four.

In the first semi, Sullivan led 1-0 at the break and added three more goals after the restart, much to the delight of coach Paul Osborne.

“Very pleased with performance and I felt we controlled the game well,” he said.

“Methody were dangerous opponents but we handled the game and the pressure very well.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Isaac Hart’s first half goal, when he converted a cross at the far post set Sullivan on their way.

Then within three minutes of the resumption,

Matthew Willis fired in a penalty corner rebound to double the lead.

Matthew Morris and Harry Yarr added further goals to seal the win as lighting struck twice for Methody, who had also lost to Sullivan in the McCullough Cup semi earlier in the season.