INSTONIANS II 28 – 27 RAINEY II
2nds League 12th November 2011
Scorers: Cassidy(1*Try), McGuckin(1*Try), Devlin(2*Try), Dillon(1*Pen, 2*Conv)
Photos
Having done well to get back in the game, Rainey OB II conceded the silliest of late penalties to go down 28-27 to Instonians II at Shaw’s Bridge. They should be beating themselves up at losing this game and being unable to close it out from a winning position. On the positive side, this was an improved display, but they are very weak in a few positions.
A try at the posts right on half-time gave Instonians a 20-12 lead. Full-back Cassidy grabbed Rainey’s opening try when he latched on to a chip from wing Dillon and captain Mc Guckin took an offload from Rainey’s other wing Campbell to score the second.
Centre Devlin crossed for Rainey from another Dillon chip, but missed what was to prove a costly kick. A Dillon penalty levelled matters and when he converted a second Devlin try an away win was very much on the cards. But they lack the killer instinct. In the dying minutes they won good ball at the tail and set up a ruck on their own 10′ only to concede a penalty. They were to pay for that needless indiscretion. Dillon had a difficult chance to win the game in injury time, but the task proved beyond him.
RAINEY III 10 – 13 ACADEMY II
Magners Junior League 12th November 2011
Scorers: Moran(1*Pen, 1*Conv), Beattie(1*Try)
It was the proverbial game of two halves at Hatrick Park, where visitors Academy II came from ten points behind to beat Rainey OB III, who simply failed to compete in the second half.
Pre-match preparations were thrown into disarray with the failure of the Old Boy’s out-half to show up. J.Niblock pulling the team out of a hole by turning up at late notice 20 minutes into the game.
Rainey held off some early pressure from Academy, some excellent tackling from K.Campton & F.Loane keeping the scoreboard at nil.
C.Moran slotted over a well taken penalty on 15 mins to open the scoring. Rainey upped their game with arrival of Niblock and after a great break by C.McIvor offloading to C.Patterson, a couple of rucks were set up in the opposite 22’ from where S.Beattie barged over after being given a delightful pass from C.Magee.
With Rainey now dominant for the rest of the half, with P.O’Neill & P.Kidd both standing out. However, they let the visitors off the hook on several occasions, with some questionable forward passes and poor handling.
The second half turned into a nightmare for Rainey, as a combination of ill discipline, poor decision making, an over-zealous referee and trying to continually attack from their own 22’ allowed Academy to take control of the game. The men from Belfast punished the home team with two penalites and a converted try to take the spoils.
Thing’s dont get any easier as the Third’s now welcome League leaders Omagh III XV to Hatrick Park next Saturday.
Team: G.King, F.Loane, S.Beattie, C.Patterson (c), I.Patterson, C.McIvor, A.Davis, K.Campton, C.Magee, J.Niblock, P.Kidd, B.Paul, P.O’Neill, A.Sterling, C.Moran.
