Hockey: McIvor double as Mossley see off North Down

The home side started the better of the two sides, setting the pace and putting the North Down defence under sustained pressure.

Mossley were unable to capitalise on their early opportunities and were undone when North Down’s Rowan Poots grabbed the opening goal of the match.

The home side rallied and within a 15-minute spell before the half time break notched up three goals with Jordan Robinson on target and McIvor on hand to finish with a quickfire brace from close range.

In a more evenly contested second half, Mossley struggled to maintain possession and North Down came more into the game, testing the home defence.

The North Down pressure was rewarded when Poots got their second of the game, leaving them trailing 3-2 with the match in the balance.

Mossley were quick to recover when a loose clearance fell to Matthew Sullivan at the edge of the circle and he made no mistake, firing the ball low past the keeper to regain the two-goal lead.

Elsewhere in the Kirk Cup, Belfast Harlequins came from 2-1 down to defeat Raphoe 3-2 at Deramore.

Banbridge, looking forward to life in the Irish Hockey League, were 6-1 winners over Instonians.

Chris Henry’s last-gasp strike gave South Antrim a 1-0 victory over Newry Olympic at Friends School in Lisburn.

Mossley’s next Kirk Cup fixture will be away to Raphoe on Saturday, September 19. Passback: 2:30pm.

Kirk Cup results (Semptember 12): South Antrim 1-0 Newry Olympic; Belfast Harlequins 3-2 Raphoe; Mossley 4-2 North Down; Banbridge 6-1 Instonians.

Meanwhile, Mossley thirds and fifths opened their league cup campaigns on Saturday.

The thirds fell to a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Instonians but the fifths notched up their first success of the season in a 12-goal thriller at The Glade, winning 7-5. Mossley’s goals were scored by John Young (three), Niall McGoldrick (two), Robert Tyrell and Stuart McClean.