Enniskillen Skins 40 Cooke RFC 20

Skins’ 2024/25 league campaign began on a sunny afternoon at Mullaghmeen last Saturday against Cooke RFC.

This was a clash of the 2nd and 3rd placed teams in last year’s competition. The Belfast team are regular top four finishers and will be one of the clubs aiming to win the league this year.

Cooke kicked off with a strong wind at their backs and started well, though it was the home side that would make the first big line break by captain James Ferguson and Ben McLaren on the left wing.

McLaren unfortunately then had to retire through injury after the move, but the team capitalised on the ground he had made.

Cooke defended a number of attempts on their line before the ball was moved wider to Foster who was tackled just short. From a quick ruck, Mattie Dane fed Angus Keys to open the scoring. The conversion into the wind went just wide.

Cooke responded well, using the wind to push Skins back and then apply pressure.

The home side’s defence held firm but did concede a number of penalties, two of which Cooke kicked to take the lead at 5-6. Skins were somewhat frustrated, making small but costly errors that stopped them building phases of play.

Nevertheless, they regained the lead shortly after, when Keenan peeled around the back of a lineout on the Cooke ‘22, set up a ruck in midfield from which Dane passed to Michael Rooney coming around the corner.

Rooney pirouetted out of the tackle and off-loaded to Jack Rutledge running hard off his shoulder to score under the posts, bringing the score to 12-6 in Skins’ favour.

Cooke struck back with a try of their own, to retake a one point advantage at 12-13.

Their lead was short-lived though.

With two minutes until half-time, Skins attacked from a scrum in their own half.

Stevie Balfour making a good break in the centre, followed by one from Eddie Keys down the left and carried on by brother Angus.

Skins were now putting phases together and the pressure forced a Cooke penalty on their '22.

Into the wind, Skins opted for a kick to touch rather than posts. That paid off when Neil Rutledge powered over from the ensuing lineout. The try was converted for Skins to regain the lead at 19-13 on the half-time whistle.

The result was effectively sealed when Skins scored immediately after the restart.

Now playing with the wind, they kicked deep and chased well to force a penalty near the Cooke line.

A quick tap by Keenan and some good footwork by Jack Rutledge saw the latter crash over near the posts. Eddie Keys converted to secure the bonus point for the fourth try and extend the lead to 26-13.

Cooke fought back and scored a converted try to make it 26-20 and one-score game again.

However, with the home crowd on tenterhooks, Skins finished strongly, scoring two more converted tries.

The first was finished by tight-head prop, Mattie Graham, slotting in at outside centre when the ball was moved open after several drives near the line on the right-hand side.

The final score started with a Skins’ lineout on the left of Cooke’s '22, which Rooney won and the pack mauled to within 10m.

The ball went open, with Eddie Keys and then James Ferguson looping around to set up a ruck near the line in the right corner.

Neil Rutledge took the short pass off Dane to score his second, which Keys converted to complete the scoring.

Cooke continued to press hard to the final whistle but stout home defence prevented them gaining a bonus point.

Captain James Ferguson was naturally pleased with the result: “We have to be happy with a bonus point win and six tries against a side like Cooke. At the same time, we’ll be looking to improve on the overall performance.”

He was delighted with young front rowers Mattie Graham, Niall Keenan, Andy Dane and then Nathan Cullinan, saying: “Those young lads scrummaged really well against much heavier and more experienced opponents, which was a key part of the game.

"That’s down to a lot of hard work over the summer, in the gym with Ryan Cathcart and on technique with forwards’ coach Ray Savage and scrum-coach Rodney Balfour.”

Next week Skins are on the road to newly promoted Randalstown, who lost away to City of Derry last Saturday. Kick-off at 2.30pm.