CRAIG'S CREW CONQUER COOKE
Cooke 2  0  BANBRIDGE 3RDs 19
January 31, 2009

Andrew Craig took his young Thirds team to Shaws Bridge to take on a strong Cooke side that had beaten Bann 27-7 earlier in the season.

Playing into the elements in the first half, Bann were forced to adopt a largely defensive role. Their success was measured by the 0-0 half-time scoreline, with the threat of the strong Cooke outside backs nullified by a well-organised and determined Bann back line.

The unfortunate sin-binning of lock David Little left the visitors more vulnerable for a 10 minute spell but the rest of the side, from prop to fullback, put bodies on the line to keep Cooke at bay.

In the second half, with the wind at their backs, Bann opted to play the territory game and keep the opposition pinned in their own half. Effective probing kicks from scrum-half Adam Ervine allowed Bann to get on the front foot and continue to put pressure on the Cooke back three.

From a lineout deep inside the Cooke half Bann chose to hit the tail of the line and Brian Curran released the charging Paul Cairns who steamed his way over the line, leaving John Ferris to add the conversion.

The excellent kicking from the half backs won another lineout deep in Cooke territory. The ball was spilt and out half Brian Woods gathered and drove through five or six would-be tacklers to score in the corner.

The icing on the cake came when continued pressure on the Cooke outside backs forced them to fumble the ball close to the line. David McGreevy picked up the ball and sprinted to the line to score under the posts, with Ervine adding the conversion points.

This much needed win was richly deserved, with the effort evident from every the face of every player, forward and back, throughout the match and it will certainly have lifted the spirits of the young Bann side.

But special mention should go to young Jonny Harris, who on his first senior match at prop had his much heavier and more experienced opponent under his thumb, flanker Brian Curran who covered every blade of grass, proving to be a constant thorn in Cooke's side and finally David McGreevy who continues to put his body on the line in each tackle and shows great promise after only his fifth rugby match.