FIRST TRUST ULSTER LEAGUE Armagh y 18-23 Rainey O.B.
SECOND XV CONFERENCE Rainey O.B. 2 20-7 B.Harlequins 2
Mc CAMBLEY CUP Rainey O.B. 4 w/o Donaghadee 3
ARMAGH SLUMP IN FINAL QUARTER
Underfoot conditions were hardly conducive to running rugby at the Palace Grounds where Armagh and Rainey Old Boys are due to meet again in a vital AIL game next month.On this occasion both sides opted to rest key players and others carrying minor knocks with the result that it turned out to be a low key affair which Armagh dominated for long spells.But their inability to turn territory into points was to haunt them as Rainey held on and took their chances in the last quarter to run out 23-18 winners.
A botched kick-off handed Armagh a scrum put-in on halfway from which they ran through for a first minute try.O’Connor kicked a penalty for Rainey,but the Armagh pack drove over for another try as the Old Boys struggled to get going.O’Connor converted another chance,but when he hooked a more difficult kick,the clearance was not held and the ensuing scrum brought a penalty which gave Armagh a 15-6 lead.Out-half Martin got back well to save the day as Armagh hacked through and a penalty came as a welcome relief after a spell of pressure from the home forwards.Rainey lost loose-head Rutledge through injury and then had flanker Burns to thank for chasing back to bring off a try-saving tackle when scrum-half Donaghy’s telegraphed pass was intercepted.The half ended with Armagh camped on the Rainey line.
When Rainey’s acting captain Shiels was yellow carded within a minute of the restart,any hopes of a comeback looked slim.Armagh lacked the accuracy to make the extra man count and Rainey defended manfully with centre Simpson lifting the siege with a timely break from his own line.The turning point of this game came in the 57th minute,a strike against the head on the Armagh 22′ allowing Rainey to move it right and then left for O’Connor to score and convert.Armagh then kicked a penalty when Donaghy was caught behind a scrum,but O’ Connor replied and right-wing Cassidy intercepted when Armagh went forward from a scrum in the Rainey half to show a clean pair of heels to the chasers.
The loss of Simpson through injury prompted Rainey into making more switches,with Paddy Mc Gowan,normally a back five forward,operating on the wing.Some very good kicking from Martin and O’Connor kept Armagh at bay,but they were fortunate whena forward pass decision halted a very promising Armagh move.
TEAM : M.O’ Connor,J.Cassidy,M.Mc Clelland,S.Simpson,P.Brown,G.Martin,A.Donaghy,S.Rutledge,S.Sufferin,P.Boyle,P.Stewart,M.Shiels,T.Burns,P.Heaney,S.Hawe.
REPLACEMENTS : K.Donaghy,P.Mc Gowan,A.Dysart
DUBLIN TEST FOR RAINEY
There are six games remaining in the AIL programme,three of them in a row from Saturday.First up is Dublin club Suttonians.Station Road is a venue at which Rainey have done well in the past and with Naas only five points behind,they cannot afford any slip-ups.They still tend to make silly mistakes and their lineout play can improve,but most of the forwards have had plenty of rest and there is a lot left in the tank.
Alan Mc Cluggage,who is making a real fist of replacing the irreplaceable Peter Sciascia,should be available after missing the Armagh game with a hamstring strain.However,they must sweat on the fitness of Rutledge and Simpson who both picked up knocks last week.Match of the Day in Division 2 B is the Armagh v Barnhall encounter.
RAINEY O.B. 2 20-7 BELFAST HARLEQUINS 2
A severely depleted Rainey O.B. 2 turned in a very satisfying display to beat Belfast Harlequins 2 by 20-7 in the Second Fifteen Conference at Hatrick Park.All of their points came from Paul Dillon who formed a rookie partnership with David Andrews at half-back.In his first appearance at out-half,Dillon,normally a full-back,scored two tries as well as landing four excellent kicks from a variety of angles and distances.
Two successful kicks from Dillon had Rainey in front before he worked a wrap around move with centre Mc Erlean to squeeze over in the corner.Andrews had to retire through injury as Rainey defended superbly when they had to.The pack performed wonders,with the back-row of Campton,Mc Cusker and Mc Kernan at the top of their form.
Full-back Ronan Devlin continued at scrum-half until Andrews resumed.On the hour mark,Dillon dotted down when he supported Campton down the narrow side from a ruck.Quins opened their account late in the proceedings which were brought to a slightly early conclusion by the referee who sensed that things might get out of hand due to the overly physical approach of the visitors who could well have had a player red carded.
FIXTURES – 16 Feb.
1st XV v SUTTONIANS away
2nd XV v QUEEN’S 2 away
4th XV v ENNISKILLEN 3 home
