McCrea Cup Final | Cooke 40-12 QUB 2XV

Cooke RFC have won the 22/23 McCrea Cup after beating QUB 2XV 40-12 in a final played in difficult, rainy conditions at Kingspan Stadium.

The Cooke forwards were dominant throughout the game, and it was hooker Ben Pentland who touched down on the back of a lineout maul in the early stages.

After being forced to defend their own line for a good spell, they quickly worked their way back into the QUB 22 and the pack once again set the stage for Pentland to score his second, with Andy McMurray adding the extras from the tee.

An incisive break from inside his own half by Cooke right winger Jack Knox led to the third try, as he was able to beat defenders for pace and then find his captain Ryan Flavelle running a great support line. The scrum half had the legs to race in from close to halfway, and McMurray notched another kick to send them 19 points clear.

Just before the interval, QUB got their first points on the board when fullback Will Cusack returned a kick and offloaded skilfully to winger Simon McMaster, and he showed great pace to reach the corner and dive in to score.

Early into the second half, Cooke had Adrian Dodd sent to the bin for collapsing the maul close to the line, and QUB stuck quickly through Harry McMeekin who touched down under the posts, with Will Cusack converting.

However, there was to be no fightback on the cards, as the dominant Cooke maul powered its way to the QUB line from outside the 22, and Stuart Elwood dotted down for the try. McMurray slotted the kick to give his side a 26-12 lead.

The game was then put beyond any doubt when left winger Connor Phillips made a surging break from deep inside his own half, and he released James Brennan to skip past a few defenders and dive in under the sticks, with McMurray making no mistake with the kick.

In the dying minutes, QUB had Paddy Eames shown the yellow card, and the Cooke forwards capped a strong showing when Jonny McClune powered over, with McMurray rounding off the final with the conversion.

Cooke RFC

15-9: Andy McMurray; Jack Knox; James Brennan; Kyle Mitchell; Connor Phillips; Andy Hannah; Ryan Flavelle (C)

1-8: Ethan Sloan; Ben Pentland; Ian Moxen; Callum Foreman; Dan White; Stephen Foreman; Stuart Elwood; Toby Mannus

Replacements

Jonny McClune; Jacksan Milligan; Ollie Faith; Adrian Dodd; Josh Harper

Queen's University Belfast 2nd XV

15-9: Will Cusack; Simon McMaster; Ryan Street; Cameron Gillanders; Danny O'Regan; Martin Connolly; Ryan Davies

1-8: Cameron Hillis; George Coen; Paddy McAlpine; Ryan Gibson; Ciaran McCarthy; Paddy Eames; Harry McMeekin (C); Kian Mulholand

Replacements

Josh Stewart; Ben Quigg; Sam Arundel; Henry Boyle; Finn Ritchie