Having finished the regular season as the second-highest points scorer in the BKT URC, John Cooney is now aiming to help Ulster move up to another level again in the Play-Offs. The scrum-half produced a try-scoring 18-point performance in Friday night’s 28-14 victory over Edinburgh in Belfast to earn the Player of the Match award.
That took him up to 134 points in the league this term, with only Stormers fly-half Manie Libbok (167) having racked up more. Ulster’s win saw them move back ahead of the Stormers and secure the second-place finish that will give them home advantage in the semis if they can beat Connacht at Kingspan Stadium in the quarters.
“It was huge. We had to win. We knew four points was going to be enough,” said Cooney.
“It was frustrating at times. We need to be better again. We are going into championship rugby now. I think we have another level and we need to bring it.
“Having a quarter-final at home is huge and we know if we win that game we are going to have a home semi-final. We are going to have a couple of weeks to really prepare and no matter what happens when we are at home it’s always a great day.”
⚪ @UlsterRugby extend their lead!
— Viaplay Sports UK (@ViaplaySportsUK) April 21, 2023
John Cooney intercepts from Edinburgh to score his first try tonight 👏#URC | #ULSvEDI pic.twitter.com/oQiy5DEJSm
It’s been a big couple of weeks for the 32-year-old Cooney who has recently signed a contract extension to stay at Ulster for another couple of seasons.
“This is home. My mum loves it. She was here as usual in the crowd,” he said after pulling off an interception try and landing five shots at goal. She can’t watch the kicks, so I am going to have to go home and show her every kick, but she loves it and she’s a big why for me.
“I just want to make her proud and keep playing here to experience this crowd. I try and give my all all the time. I probably bark a little bit too much when I get frustrated, but it’s just amazing to be here in front of everyone.”
With a bumper crowd inside the ground, Ulster fell behind early on to a Darcy Graham try and were scoreless for the first 25 minutes, but a sparkling move rounded off by wing Jacob Stockdale helped them take an 11-7 half-time lead. Then, after the break, they secured the victory and that crucial second spot as Cooney and flanker Nick Timoney went over.