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Garvey had this Premier League game and the crucial points well within their grasp but again frittered away a two goal advantage and finished drawing with league champions Cookstown at Comber Road.
The home side began much better than their opponents with Mark Raphael striking the post in the 7th minute after some pressure on the Cookstown circle. Two minutes later Garvey keeper, Davey Williamson had to make a timely clearance when his goal was threatened and in the 11th minute Andy Barbour weaved his way through the Garvey defence before putting in a great cross which went untouched.
Davey Williamson made another good save from Gareth Cuddy in the 14th minute as the game began to hot up and in the 16th minute Cookstown forced their first penalty corner of the match but it was well cleared by the alert Stephen Arbuthnot.
A minute later, Garvey took the lead. After some good work down the right wing BY mark Raphael, Jason Lynch got in a reverse stick shot which jusat about crossed the Cookstown goal line after keeper Ian Hughes had made a half save.
Cookstown replied with a shot from Barbour which Williamson again dealt with very well as the visitors began to take advantage of some sloppy Garvey passing.
Garvey,s cause was not helped by losing both Greg Thompson and Peter MacDonnell
to almost inexplicable yellow cards. During the time Garvey were down to nine players, they defended with great determination and just when they had returned to 10 men, they scored their second goal much against the run of play.
The goal came from Garvey,s first penalty corner in the 34th minute. A switch around the edge of the circle, found the stick of Stephen Arbuthnot who neatly flicked the ball low past Hughes into the Cookstown net and the half ended a minute later with the home side holding a two goal advantage .
The league champions expectantly, came out with all guns blazing in the second half and forced two penalty corners in quick succession. One was blocked by Arbuthnot and the other found the net only to be adjudged too high and Garvey breathed again.
The 48th minute saw Garvey return to a full complement of players and Peter MacDonnell saw a good shot saved by Hughes in the 50th minute but for the next 10 minutes, Garvey were back pedalling and a Cookstown goal looked inevitable.
Indeed, the visitors themselves were down to 10 men in the 53rd minute but they still laid siege to the Garvey goal and after a their 3rd penalty corner had been blocked by Williamson, Gareth Cuddy scored from the 4th set piece in the 56th minute and the game was well and truly ‘on ‘.
Garvey did not seem to be able to break out of their own half for a long period and could not find a method of putting their opponents under any pressure and a second Cookstown goal came in the 60th minute. A hard hit ball into the Garvey circle was deflected by Stuart Smyth past the wrong footed Davey Williamson and Garvey were in for a very trying last 10 minutes.
Garvey lost Jason Lynch for another trivial offence and Cookstown also went a man down as the visitors went for the winning goal. Some very sound defending marshalled by Brian Waring saw Garvey through the last Cookstown onslaught and the game ended in a very competitive 2-2 draw which was almost spoilt by some over officious umpiring.
Garvey face another difficult league game on Saturday when they travel to Havelock Park to take on old rivals Banbridge at 2-30 p.m. Following the Anderson Cup final when there was little between the two teams, the visitors have nothing to fear and hopefully they will be able to hold on to any lead they contrive during a game which will attract a good support for both sides. Garvey could have Timmy Cockram back in the squad after his World Cup qualifying trip to Argentina which saw Ireland fail in their bid to play in the next World Cup of hockey.