The firsts make life difficult for themselves in the first home league fixture.
The firsts made life difficult for themselves in the team’s first home league fixture
against a determined CI side. The game commenced at a blistering pace which did
not let up during the eighty minutes of play, exposing the fitness levels of some
players!! CI had the opportunity to open the scoring within 3 minutes when the
Cooke backs were penalised for crossing. McVicker’s penalty attempt was however,
well short. Five minutes later the CI number 10, Rowan, kicked the visitors into a lead
with a great shot from half way.
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What followed was a fine individual try which breached the very effective CI defence.
When CI kicked for territory Dewhurst elected not to wait for the lineout but passed
the ball directly in to fullback Cartmill in his own 22. The number 15 side stepped
through the CI attackers and wove his way along the touchline before handing off the
full-back to score in the corner. McLaughlin’s conversion attempt drifted wide.
With 20 minutes played CI punished the home side for some casual play. A slow pass
from a Cooke prop was gratefully intercepted by CI winger Doherty who raced over
the line. McVicker converted. Ten minutes later it was turn of the Cooke backs to
commit the same error. This time an intercept by CI number 7, Armstrong, allowed
the flanker to just make the line after a 25-meter dash. McVicker was again on target
with his conversion.
The CI confidence was clearly increasing when out-half Rowan slotted over a drop
goal, extending CI’s lead to 15 points. Cooke reduced arrears just before half time
with a McLaughlin penalty.
Half time score Cooke 8 CIYMS 20
Cooke started the second half in more determined fashion. Six minutes in to the
half the Cooke pack recycled the ball up to the CI line with prop Seawright taking
the ball over following a rolling maul. McLaughlin added the conversion. Both
sides were off target with penalty attempts but it was not until some 25 minutes of
play when Cartmill brought Cooke back into the game. Spotting some of the CI
forwards loitering on the wing, the full-back cut through a gap to claim his second try.
McLauglin’s conversion brushed the wrong side of the posts.
With 10 minutes remaining McLaughlin edged Cooke ahead when his penalty from
half way crept over. Their confidence restored, the Cooke forwards determined the
final minutes of the game. A scrum in the CI 22 allowed No8 Mitchell to pick up and
drive the CI defence backwards. The ever-present Seawright was on his shoulder to
barge over beside the posts and claim his second, and the essential bonus point try for
Cooke. McLauglin’s conversion gave Cooke a more comfortable 10-point lead.
Both Rowan and McVicker had attempts to recoup a losing bonus point for CI in
injury time but their penalty kicks were wide of the mark.
Final score Cooke 30 CIYMS 20
President’s Man of the Match – PHIL CARTMILL
Cooke Match Report: Clougher Valley 3 v Cooke 3
Cooke 3’s win comfortably in their 2nd game of the season.
Cooke threes continued their winning start to the season with a long overdue win, away to Clougher Valley. It looked like history was going to repeat itself for the first 15 minutes of the game with Clougher launching the first attack. With the rain hammering down into the faces of the Cooke men it looked sure they were going to concede the first points of the game with simple handling errors and knock on’s, due to an extremely slippery ball, handing possession back to the home side. Solid defence withstood the early attacks and penalties gave Aaron Doherty a chance for Cooke to clear their lines.
During a good spell of possession the first try for Cooke came from a slick blindside move off the back of the scrum, No.8 Neill Gordon picked and popped to Ollie Watts who drew the defender and left a 2 on 1 overlap for Scott McClure to send a simple pass to winger Davy McAroe to score in the corner. Doherty added the conversion with the ball glancing the crossbar on the way over. From the restart the momentum kept building and on 20 minutes, another blindside move from the scrum had Clougher 14-0 down, with McClure finishing the try himself showing good strength and pace, the following conversion was successful.
On the half hour Cooke scored their third try of the afternoon with a slick back move and good vision from the 12 David Suitor, who put a Gary Owen through behind the charging defence allowing winger Nathan Hall to get in on the action and touch down in the corner.
Just before the end of the first half after a few silly penalties and ill discipline allowed clougher to register their first points of the game, after an effective catch and drive from a 5 meter lineout.
Halftime Score: Cooke 17 – Clougher Valley 7
The second half started in a very scrappy and slow pace which seemed to suit the larger and more unfit Clougher team, giving the ball to their 12 who was the only real threat in their backline. The 12 broke the line a few times but was quickly taken down by great covering defence by the Cooke backline, particularly McClure, stopped Clougher really getting back into the game.
The next score was vital for both teams, and thankfully it came to Cooke’s skipper Paddy Murry off an inside ball from Doherty allowing him space to power over by the posts. This 4th try seemed to kill off any real fight from Clougher and the game started to open up for the faster and stronger Cooke back line. Several powerful lines breaks from centre Ian Anderson gave great field position. One of these breaks came from quick ruck ball and sloppy fringe defence on Clougher part allowing Anderson to make a solid 25-30m and set up the 5th try for the Cooke debutant Peter Suitor. Shortly after this another well worked move opened up a large overlap which any one of 4 players could have scored. It did finally come to Russell Hunter to score from a draw and pop from Anderson, and Hunter had an easy walk in. Both were converted by McClure as Doherty was recovering from a knock.
Doherty soon had his kicking boots back on and continually put the clearly inexperienced Clougher fullback through his paces, pinning him back and exposing spaces at virtually every opportunity. On the 67th minute one such kick landed scrum half Watts a well worked solo try; a great positional kick from Doherty and great chase from Suitor, Anderson and McAroe forced the Clougher 15 to slice the kick straight into Watts path, he then turned the defence inside out before falling between the posts. McClure converted.
Final Score: Cooke 43- 7
It was a fantastic win for the third’s continuing their great start to the season. Let’s hope this can continue.
