Cookstown RFC Notes: I XV 53 v City of Armagh RFC 3

Armagh 3 Cookstown 53
Cookstown RFC got their season underway on Saturday with a comfortable 53-3 victory away to Armagh.
The first 10 minutes proved to be error ridden with knocks ons aplenty from both sides. However Cookstown soon got into their stride with Stephen McKenna breaking through several tackles to touch down under the posts following good work from fellow centre Kezzy Nugent. This was quickly followed up by flanker Marty Devlin who chased a well weighted kick through by Ciaran Currie and Cookstown were well on their way to victory. Armagh could only respond with a penalty but this was cancelled out by a drop goal from out half Ciaran Currie. Further tries both scored by debutant Kyle Campton rounded off a good half’s work by Cookstown.
Half Time score Armagh 3 Cookstown 31
Cookstown continued their dominance in the second half and Marty Devlin showed good speed to score his second and Cookstowns fifth try in the corner. The Cookstown pack were well on top and demonstrated this with a push over try from 30 metres out, the returning Stephen Rea the man to get on the end of it although he would be the first to give much of the credit to his pack. Ali Jafaar was the next to get in on the act finishing off a well worked move involving Kezzy Nugent and Owen Mallon. Cookstown concluded the scoring and the match with Stephen McKenna running clear to score under the posts which he converted himself.
Full Time score Armagh 3 Cookstown 53
It was an encouraging performance from Cookstown particularly from man of the match Kyle Campton who marked his return to rugby with a fantastic display at No. 8. Captain Liam Currie commented after the match “I am happy with the result. It was a good way to kick off the league and blood new players, some of whom are new to the game of rugby”.
Training continues on Thursday evening at the Mid Ulster Sports Arena at 7pm with the next match away to Omagh on Saturday 11th October.