For the next five seasons Cookstown proved to be one of the stronger teams in the Section, but always fell just short of promotion to the top flight of Ulster hockey.
Season 1974-75 finally brought the long-awaited win of Section 2 and Cookstown secured their place in the top flight of the Ulster Senior League.
In 1979-80 the club fought its way through to the Irish Senior Cup Final for the first time, losing to Belfast YMCA by two goals to nil.
[1] The disappointment was tempered when their opponents were unable to represent Ireland in the European Club Cup as participation would involve playing on a Sunday and Cookstown accepted an invitation to take their place.
In 1988, as a result of their Irish Senior Cup success, Cookstown were again in European competition and finished 7th in the Premier section of the tournament held in the Netherlands.
The only major trophy that had eluded Cookstown, the Kirk Cup, was finally won in 1988-89 when Mossley were beaten by one goal to nil at Blaris.
However, a 24-year wait came to an end when Cookstown once again won the Irish Senior Cup in 2011 by defeating Monkstown by four goals to three in the final.