COOKE 35 DONAGHADEE 13
Despite the wintry conditions prevailing around the province conditions were excellent at Shaws Bridge for this Qualifying One relegation battle between Cooke and Donaghadee.
The Dee started strongly but Cooke broke on loose ball with five minutes played and a fluffed clearance enabled Cooke to break on the blind side to score the opening try which was unconverted.
The Dee now resumed attack and pressed the Cooke line but ball was again turned over by Cooke and carried to the Dee ten metre line before the away side’s blind side defence was again found wanting when the home side broke to score another unconverted try – this time on the other side of the pitch. Ten minutes gone and the Dee were now ten points down and once again concerted effort by the Dee eight took them close to the Cooke line but then a cross kick to the corner was fielded by the opposition left wing and he broke from his own dead ball area and fed his supporting teammates before the attack was broken down with a last ditch tap tackle. The frenetic pace continued and once more the Dee pressed Cooke’s line and this time were awarded a five metre scrum which was reset on two occasions before the impressive Stephen Adams powered his way over for the Dee’s first score of the day. This left the score 10-5 as the conversion was missed but Donaghadee were penalised in front of their own posts shortly afterwards and Cooke stretched their lead to 13-5 with a simple penalty kick.
On the stroke of half time the Dee were again making inroads up front and were dominating the scrummages which led to immense pressure on the Cooke line and several phases of ruck & maul before Alastair Lockhart released his back line to allow Thomas Slane to dive over in the corner. Half time 13-10 in favour of the home side.
As the second half began the game was anyones but Cooke, as they had and continued to be all afternoon, were dominant on the floor and led by their impressive Player Coach Colin Atkinson at Number 8 turned over ball and manufactured a further five points to take them to an 18-10 lead before Paul McKenzie closed the gap for the Dee with a well-taken drop goal.
As the Dee strove to catch their opponents they were hampered by the latter’s skill on the ground and, a loose Dee kick out of hand allowed the Belfast side to stretch their lead with a well constructed try in the Clubhouse corner.
As has been the case before this season Donaghadee now over stretched themselves playing catch-up rugby and their not inconsiderable efforts were undone by Cooke picking off a further two tries to leave the final score 35-13 which – in truth – perhaps flattered them a little in that apart from the home sides clinical finishing and some startling defensive lapses from the Dee there was little to separate the sides.
Focus for the Dee this week at training will undoubtedly include ball protection and defensive lines as the side looks forward to a welcome break from league action next Saturday when Holywood are the visitors to Donaldson Park in the second round of the Towns Cup.
FIXTURES
This Saturday, In addition to the Towns Cup game at Donaghadee noted above, the 2nd XV are at home to Instonians III and the 3rd XV away to Carrick IV in their respective leagues. Both the Dee second & third strings will be hopeful of better luck than last week when neither of the opposing teams they were scheduled to play were able to field. All games kick-off at 2:30pm.
SCHOOLS CUP
Both Bangor GS and Regent House have home games in the second round of the Schools Cup this Saturday morning when the former face Dalriada and latter play Foyle College. All support from Dee members would be much appreciated.
