Omagh Open Campaign with Win
31 August 2026Omagh 43 - 15 Cooke
5th September 2026
Omagh Accies made it two wins from two with an impressive 43–15 victory over Cooke RFC at Coneywarren on Saturday, producing a dominant second-half display in their first home game of the season.
The lead changed hands during a competitive opening period before the Accies clicked into gear, eventually running in seven tries and keeping the visitors scoreless after the break.
Cooke started the brighter of the two sides and were rewarded when an Omagh handling error presented them with an opportunity from deep. Quick hands between forwards and backs opened up the home defence, with Cooke finishing a long-range move from just inside the Omagh half before adding the conversion.
The Accies response was almost immediate. Connor Watherston-Spencer kicked a penalty to within 10 metres of the Cooke line and, from the resulting lineout, Omagh launched an unstoppable driving maul. Reece Braden emerged with the ball after powering his way over for an unconverted score.
Cooke responded in similar fashion. A penalty was kicked to the corner and the visitors produced a well-worked driving maul of their own to cross for their second try.
From there, however, the Accies began to click into gear, moving the ball at pace and stretching the Cooke defence across the pitch.
Omagh worked their way into the visitors’ ‘22’ and, with the referee playing penalty advantage, Kiwi centre Noa Etua spotted space behind the defensive line. His perfectly weighted grubber kick took him through the defence before he regathered to score under the posts for his first try in green and white. Watherston-Spencer added the straightforward conversion.
Omagh then struck with two quick-fire tries from deep.
A wayward Cooke kick was fielded by fullback Alastair Beckett, who immediately launched one of his trademark counterattacks. The Accies veteran beat three defenders before drawing the final man and executing the two-on-one to send Scott Wilson racing under the posts. Watherston-Spencer converted.
The next score went from one wing to the other. Strong running from Matthew Eccles carried Omagh deep into the visitors’ half before the ball was quickly recycled and spun wide to Scott Barr. The winger still had work to do but powered through the final defenders to bulldoze his way over in the corner.
Cooke added a penalty from around 30 metres to close out the half, but the momentum was firmly with the home side.
The Accies knew at half-time that the next score would be instrumental and they went after it.
Captain Matthew Clyde was the man to deliver. Following an Omagh attack down the right wing, Clyde found himself filling in at scrum-half. Spotting a gap around the breakdown, he needed no second invitation, breaking from 20 metres out and racing over near the corner flag.
Next up was a well deserved score for Beckett. Having been at the heart of several Omagh attacks throughout the afternoon, the veteran fullback took matters into his own hands, dancing inside and then outside two defenders before crossing to the right of the posts.
Omagh weren’t finished yet. Jamie Sproule moved the ball to Pulusi Atina Toeoanna, with the centre breaking the first tackle before releasing Sam Young into space. Young showed excellent pace to race clear of the Cooke defence and cross for his first try for the Omagh 1st XV, completing the scoring at 43–15.
The Omagh coaching team were delighted with the performance, particularly a commanding second half display which saw the Accies keep the visitors scoreless while continuing to pose a threat with ball in hand.
A valuable five league points were secured in front of a sizeable home crowd as Omagh continued their positive start to the new campaign.
Attention now turns to the Junior Cup next Saturday, when Omagh welcome Malone II XV to the Thomas Mellon Playing Fields.
