A young Cooke side came up against a strong Bohemian’s on Sunday afternoon at Shaw’s Bridge with the visitors running away with the game in the second half to win 5 – 34.

The Belfast side started the match well,  keeping the Limerick team pinned in their own half for long periods of the opening quarter. Unfortunately, for Cooke, they failed to spot a few overlaps and their failure to convert their chances cost them when the visitors broke from deep through winger Ashling Hutchens who sprinted clear to finish under the posts. Sarah Jane Cody added the extras.

Bohs went further ahead when Patrique Kelly drove over in the corner but the home side rallied, and after a period of sustained pressure in the Bohemians 22, Cooke finally broke through with Imogen Porter spotting a gap just before the break. The try went unconverted bringing the half time score to Cooke 5 Bohemians 12.

Boh’s wheeled out Joy Neville at half time and the experienced international certainly made her presence felt with a try just after the restart and with the veteran in fine form Bohemians began to get on top at the breakdown  keeping Cooke pinned in their own half.

Cooke didn’t help themselves by kicking away possession, when previously they had made ground with the ball in hand, and the visitors made them pay with tries from Oliva Stapleton and Niamh Kavanagh taking the game beyond the Belfast side.

However it was Neville who was to have the final say with her second try in the closing minutes. Cody converted taking the final score to Cooke 5 UL Bohemians 34.

Cooke Ladies: (15-9) Teah Maguire, Emma Rea, Claire McLaughlin, Grace Davitt, Caroline Kelly, Lara Nichol, Imogen Porter. (1-8) Leslie Griffith, Elena Martin-Pineiro, Lizzie Ballintine, Christina McDowell, Nicola Dickson, Rachel Boyd, Cathy Maguire, Nikita Armstrong. (Subs) Laura Johnston, Vanda Coreia, Ciara Moane, Laura Boyd.