The tension was almost unbearable at Hatrick Park where Rainey Old Boys came from 14-3 behind to snatch the lead with a try two minutes from time against second placed City of Derry. Referee Mark Hermin infuriated the large home support by playing eight minutes of added time,but an inspired Rainey side pulled out all the stops to hold on for a 22-17 victory which takes them into the top half of the table.Not for the first time this season,Rainey made a very poor start and did little right in a dull opening half which lacked intensity.They eventually got up a head of steam to cause Derry some problems and the tackling in the final quarter and in injury time was faultless.
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Ulster League points were also at stake here,adding to Derry’s obvious disappointment,but they should still finish in the top four.Rainey will look to winning their next two games in this block of AIL fixtures against Connemara and Barnhall to edge further up the table.
Memories of that 69-8 defeat in the Senior Cup at Judges Road in late September came flooding back as a nightmare start saw Rainey trail 8-0 after only five minutes.In that short time they had made five mistakes to help Derry on their way.A penalty from out-half Peoples and a try by left-wing Logue before Rainey had touched the ball gave them the perfect launching pad,but they had to defend when Rainey worked their way up to the goal-line.Boyle and then Martin had a go,but they had to settle for a penalty which O’Connor converted.After 14 minutes Peoples struck again when Mac Mahon was penalised for failing to roll away after a tackle.Two minutes later O’Connor hooked a shot at goal when wing Campbell was impeded after intercepting and chipping ahead.Rainey then had to chase back when Peoples broke two tackles on his own 22′ to instigate a dangerous move.Out-half Martin started to find his range with his touch kicks,but Derry continued to call the tune and a third penalty left them 14-3 up after 31 minutes.A Derry knock-on presented Rainey with a favourable attacking position,but they were caught at the base of the scrum.Another good chance was lost when,following a lineout steal on the 22′,Campbell was unable to hold O’Connor’s pass with the visitors’ defence stretched.O’Connor gave his side a glimmer of hope with a penalty two minutes from the break.
Derry missed a kick at goal before Rainey,now facing a very cold breeze,began to get together,largely through the promptings of scrum-half Sciascia whose repertoire of skills enabled him to bring ball carriers like O’Kane,Heaney,Shiels and Boyle into the picture.They drew level ten minutes into the half with a superb try.When wing Suiter came infield to find support,Sciascia broke from the ruck with support from the big men taking them into the Derry22′.Using the narrow side,they worked an opening for Sciascia to send No.8 Mc Crea in for a lovely try.An important tackle from Mac Mahon forced a knock-on from Peoples as he very nearly broke away..Derry raised the tempo,but Mc Crea cleared the danger by intercepting on his 22′.Rainey made life difficult for themselves by twice forcing turnovers and promptly handing the initiative back to the opposition.
O’Connor put Rainey back in the Derry half with a lengthy touch kick from a narrow angle and with ten minutes remaining nudged them in front when Mac Mahon was the victim of a high tackle.Nerves were jangling as Derry poured forward and replacement wing Devlin did well to deal with a tricky situation in the corner.Derry introduced star player Richard Mc Carter,who has missed most of the season through injury,and he calmly knocked over a penalty which was brought forward ten metres for dissent.Most Rainey supporters would have settled for a draw at that stage,but with time running out,Mac Mahon set off on a mazy run and chipped on into the Derry 22′.When he followed up to pressurise covering full-back Henderson,the ball was hacked on over the line with hooker Sufferin beating his fellow forward Dawson to the touchdown.This was his first ever try for the club and one that he will never forget.
Nerves were completely in tatters in an unbelievable eight minutes of time added on,but the tackling of the Rainey side was exceptional as Derry threw everything at them in an attempt to snatch the points which looked sure to be heading their way an hour earlier.
TEAM : M.O’Connor,A.Campbell,R.Paul,J.Mac Mahon,P.Suiter,G.Martin,P.Sciascia,N.Amos,S.Sufferin,N,O’Kane,P.Boyle,M.Shiels,D.Dawson,P.Heaney,R.Mc Crea.
REPLACEMENT : R.Devlin ( Campbell 61 )
Other Division 3 results : Ards 3 v 38 Banbridge Highfield 23 v 28 Seapoint Instonians 19 v 8 Navan Naas 13 v 18 Suttonians Nenagh Ormond 11 v 47 Greystones Sunday’s Well 13 v 14 Barnhall Wanderers 43 v 23 Connemara
FIXTURES for 19 February
Connemara v Rainey Banbridge v Nenagh Derry v Ards Greystones v Instonians Navan v Highfield Barnhall v Wanderers Seapoint v Naas Suttonians v Sunday’s Well
Last Saturday’s pre-match lunch was generously sponsored by Jackie Rankin,a former club captain who now resides in Limavady.Jackie is a regular attender at home AIL matches.
RAINEY O.B.111 44 – 14 COOKE 111
Flanker Ruari Murray and centre James Mc Bride helped themselves to two tries apiece as Rainey O.B.111 ran out easy 44-14 winners against Cooke 111 in Junior 4 at Hatrick Park.The other tries came from Beattie,J.Donaghy,Mc Ivor and C.Heaney,with front-row men Heaney and Mc Kenna adding conversions.Rainey led 22-7 at half-time.
Ulster’s interest in the All-Ireland Junior Cup ended when Cooke were defeated 27-22 by Monivea at Shaw’s Bridge in the semi-final.
Fixtures for Sat. 19 Feb.
2nd XV v Monaghan Conference A home 2.30 p.m.
3rd XV v Banbridge 1V home
