Malone Women met Cooke Women on a rainy Sunday lunchtime in the first round of the Women’s Community Series games.

Report and images by Bob Given.

From kick off Cooke took it to Malone with a series of forward drive and after 5 minutes were rewarded with a Hannah Harris try, converted Amanda Morton, to lead 7-0.

Cooke were relentless and but for poor handing would have increased their lead before the 18th minute, when Teah Maguire dotted down close to the posts. Morton converted to give Cooke a 14-0 lead.

Malone, who up to this time had rarely been out of their own half, enjoyed a brief period pressuring the Cooke ’22’, before Cooke broke out. On the stroke of half time, Ilse van Staden crashed over under the Malone posts and, with Morton adding the points, Cooke had a commanding 21 – 0 lead to take into the second half.

As the weather improved in the second half, ball handling skills deteriorated. The game became littered with knock on scrums and penalties, frustrating both teams.

Cooke eventually claimed their bonus point, when Ashling O’Connell drove over from close range for an unconverted try after 72 minutes.

Cooke will leave Gibson Park delighted with their bonus point 26-0 victory and ‘shutting out’ Malone.

Both teams are currently scheduled to play second round games on Sunday coming.

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