Saturday’s game in the Ulster Senior League with Rainey was never going to produce pretty rugby. Due to the previous week’s continuous rain the game had been relegated to the Third fifteen’s pitch as both the other club pitches were being quarantined in an effort to preserve them from damage. With next week’s AIL fixture in mind it was considered imperative that the playing surface of the senior pitch would be preserved from as much damage as possible.
The game kicked off with Armagh playing in their unfamiliar white change strip due to a colour clash with the Red/Black team colours of Rainey. Within three minutes Armagh spun the ball out to left winger Andy Willis who rounded his opposite number with consummate ease to score a fine try. Unfortunately Dylan Ferreira’s conversion went wide to leave the score at 3-0. After another ten minutes Rainey’s Full back, Mark O’Connor kicked a penalty to open the visitor’s score to 5-3. Armagh then exerted some severe pressure on the visitors with centre, John Faloon breaking through the Rainey defence only to be tackled just ten metres short of the Rainey line. Dylan Ferreira intercepted a loose Rainey pass and, again , a last gasp tackle saved Rainey from another try. A fine touch kick from Ferreira put Armagh ten metres from the visitor’s line and a well-controlled rolling maul sent Tight Head prop, Andrew Fletcher, over for the second Armagh try. This was converted by Johnny Steenson to bring the score to 12-3.
Shortly after this try Rainey were awarded a penalty for not releasing a player after a tackle. This was kicked to put the score at 12-6 at the break.
Just after the restart the Rainey second row was yellow carded for repeatedly entering rucks from the side. Steenson kicked the resulting penalty to put the scote to 15-6. Five minutes into the half saw Armagh’s Dylan Ferreira replaced by Richard Reaney after Dylan received a knock. Rainey’s full back Mark O’Connor had scored all their points and continued this fashion when he scored a fine try and then kicked the conversion. This would appear to be the turning point in the game what with the score at 15-13 the visitors were now within striking of the Armagh lead! Even another penalty from Steenson’s boot failed to deter the Rainey side who continued to pressurise the Armagh line. Another penalty from O’Connor brought the score up to 18-16. The death blow for the home side then came in the form of an interception try under the Armagh posts which when converted put the final score at 18-23.
It has to be said that the game was played by two sides who both wanted to play open rugby despite the awful conditions.
Armagh will need to concentrate on their game plan for next week’s All Ireland League confrontation with NUIM Barnhall at the Palace Grounds. Barnhall’s third place league position is an indication of their strength. Last season saw Armagh suffer a heavy defeat to this side. It should be mentioned that their points scored tally is the best in the league so Armagh’s defence will need to be on special alert!
