Inside centre Peter Storey touched down twice for Queen’s in a hugely entertaining contest at Kingspan Stadium.
It took just two minutes for Queen’s to open the scoring as fullback Jonny Milliken broke through before offloading well for Storey to crash over. Robbie Reid converted for a 7-0 lead.
Pollock hit back immediately for Cooke with a superb try from deep. Player/Coach Colin Atkinson fielded a clearance kick and launched the counter attack with a pass to Alex Gourley, who’s arching run created space for Pollock to finish off. Gourley’s conversion levelled the scores.
Queen’s started to gain the upper hand in the scrums and that was providing the platform for their backs to shine. Another fine run from Milliken yielded a penalty opportunity for Reid but he pushed it to the left of the uprights. But the set piece dominance paid off soon after as David Marshall powered over from the base for a converted try.
As the pressure continued to build, Cooke’s Steven Mooney was sin binned for not releasing the tackled player. Queen’s took advantage within 60 seconds as Adam Kirk provided the scoring pass to fellow prop Conor McIlmurray. Reid saw his conversion attempt ricochet off the right post.
Queen’s did further damage just two minutes later as scrumhalf John Russell sparked the attack and Storey was again on hand to collect the offload and dive over for his brace. Reid knocked over the touchline conversion to give his team a 26-7 lead.
Not to be out-done, Pollock added his second of the game just before half time, with Atkinson again heavily involved. The number 8 went on a barnstorming run, brushing aside four or five defenders and the quickly recycled ball allowed his winger to touch down with relative ease. Gourley’s effort from wide on the right fell short, leaving the half-time scoreline reading 26-12 in favour of the students.
Queen’s tried to force play early in the second half but a number of scoring chances were wasted due to forward passes or knock ons. Indeed, Pollock capitalised on some loose play by the students to grab his hat-trick score, pouncing on a wayward pass to run in under the posts from 80 metres out. Gourley added the extras but saw his long range penalty attempt drop short soon after.
The Shaw’s Bridge outfit were visibly buoyed by that try and enjoyed a long period of pressure in opposition territory. They struggled to make an impact on the scoreboard until another piece of magic from that man Pollock. The winger took a quick lineout on the halfway line and exchanged passes with Gourley before bolting straight through the middle of the Queen’s defence, evading countless would-be tacklers on his way over the line. Gourley’s conversion drifted left but his team now trailed by just two points going into the final ten minutes.
Cooke piled on the pressure and after a series of scrums five metres out, scrumhalf Matthew Elliott was held up over the line. They tried in vain to get the decisive score but there was no way through and the final whistle sounded to the delight of the Queen’s players and supporters.
Cooke
(15-9) Alex Gourley; Andrew Nelson, Philip Cartmill, Ian Anderson, Andrew Pollock; Andrew Hanna, Matthew Elliott; (1-8) Jonathan McClune, Curtis Montgomery, Russell Hunter, Graham Jewhurst (captain), Brian Mannus, Sam Boyd, Steven Mooney, Colin Atkinson;
Replacements (16-20) Liam Bennett, Owen Kelly, Matthew McCormick, David Elliott, Jonathan Kingham.
Queen’s University 2nds
(15-9) Jonny Milliken; Peter Cashel, Sam Russell, Peter Storey, Andrew Butler; Robbie Reid, John Russell; (1-8) Conor McIlmurray, Adam Kerr (captain), Adam Kirk, Cathal Hannan, Matthew Doak, Eoin Baxter, Tom Johnston, David Marshall;
Replacements (16-20) Jonathon Murray, Conal Browne, Craig Burton, Gary Wright, Patrick Colhoun.