On Saturday the JKC/Causeway Geotech sponsored Ballymoney 1st XV travelled to Shaw’s Bridge Belfast to face Cooke as the league returned after last week’s Cup victory over City of Derry.

With three bonus point wins to date in the league, the Toon men were hoping to add to the tally however they knew Cooke would be a step up from the opponents they have already faced. The coaching team were forced to juggle the teams with both senior hookers unavailable with Jack Speer moving from back to front row but boosted by the return of skipper Will Scott and Dave McKeeman.

The visitors started strongly and took the lead on eight minutes with Paddy Carson slotting over a penalty but with just over ten minutes, a missed tackle on halfway line gave the Cooke winger space to score in their first trip into Ballymoney territory.

The Toon missed the chance to retake the lead moments afterwards with Carson pushing the ball wide from a penalty just outside the Cooke ten yard line.

Although the Toon were playing well, they struggled with the set piece against a strong Cooke scrum.

With five minutes left in a close first half the home side stretched the lead with a converted try leaving the score 12-3.

Three minutes into the second half prop Stephen McCleery was yellow carded and from a scrum in the corner Cooke went further ahead with a converted try. The visitors then went further behind when Cooke stole the ball at a ruck and drove over for their fourth & bonus point try.

Adam Bustard replaced Jack Speer in the front row making his Toon debut as Money tried to get back into the game with strong carries from McCleery and the Brown brothers; with just under ten minutes remaining another debutant Paddy Cramsie broke free to score Ballymoney’s first try, and in the last moments a penalty try awarded to the Toon left the final score 26-17.

“Disappointing result today,” said Andy Graham afterwards, “we knew it would be a difficult game as Cooke will be there, or thereabouts, at the end of the season. We played well but unfortunately second half we weren’t good enough. We had to make a lot of changes this week, not using that as an excuse but the continuity wasn’t where it should have been. A few lapses in concentration gave Cooke the opportunity to win the game but we worked hard right until the final whistle. We will this week assess the options we have regarding injuries as we prepare to travel to Dromore next week so an intensive week at training is a must.”