RAINEY 5 – 10 BELFAST HARLEQUINS
Ulster League 15th September 2012
Scorers: Clarke(1*Try)
Rainey Old Boys were able to call on forwards Dawson and McDowell for the first time this season when they met Belfast Harlequins in the Ulster League at Hatrick Park. But they had several other key players missing, as had the Deramore club who had to field minus their representative players. Between them they played out what must rate as the dullest game of rugby seen at this venue in years. Rainey had shown commendable spirit in a midweek defeat at Dungannon, but they would struggle to take any plusses from this error strewn affair. They can only hope that they can turn things round in the next two weeks. Quins won 10-5, with Rainey taking a losing bonus point, but this result will not linger long in the memory.
The game got off to an untidy start and it was to get no better. A reversed penalty gave the visitors a promising field position, but a solid tackle from Dawson and a crooked feed allowed Rainey to clear their lines. There were turnovers galore and far too many mistakes with ball in hand as players tended to become isolated from their support. At times it almost looked as if neither side wanted the ball. Rainey missed three kicks at goal while Quins opted to go to the corner and never threatened. Rainey flanker Burns was yellow carded on 37 minutes, but Quins were unable to take advantage.
Two minutes after the break, Quins managed to trouble the scorer when, having first broken through the middle of a lineout, they moved scrum ball from a good attacking position to finally break the deadlock with a converted try. Three minutes later, a sliced clearance caught several Rainey players offside and Quins made it 10-0. Rainey were back in business when loose-head Rutledge broke clear up the middle to send the supporting Clarke in with a well-timed pass. The full-back unfortunately missed the simple conversion.
Rainey reshuffled their backline in the last quarter with Pyper moving to ten and Martin to full-back. A rare passage of good play brought them a penalty, but the referee called for advantage over before anything came of the move. Wheeled frequently in the scrum and with little lineout ball to play with, they continued to splutter while Quins fluffed a good chance of sealing the points with a penalty. In time added on, Rainey almost snatched victory when Campbell broke infield and scrum-half McCluggage looked sure to score when he darted along the touchline, but was unable to offload to his support just short of the line.
TEAM:A.Clarke, A.Campbell, D.McMurray, M.Pyper, M.McClelland, S.Rutledge, S.Sufferin, R.Hill, R.Hall, C.O’Neill, T.Burns, P.Stewart (capt.), D.Dawson.
REPLACEMENTS : A.Dysart, N.Amos, A.Donaghy, A.McGlaughlin, S.McDowell.
PORTADOWN III 25 – 32 RAINEY III
Junior 3 15th September 2012
Scorers: McIvor(1*Try), McGuckin(1*Try), Montgomery(1*Try), Irvine(1*Try), Walker(3*Conv, 2*Pen)
The Thirds travelled to Portadown for their second league fixture. With several familiar faces in the home side, Rainey knew it was going to be a hard fought match and so it proved to be.
The Magherafelt side took an early lead with G.Walker kicking a penalty to settle early nerves. Portadown soon matched this to draw level. The game then descended into some aerial ping pong as both kickers probed each other’s defenses. Twenty-five minutes in and the men in blue scored a disputed try, M.Donnelly and C.Patterson both claiming to have held it up over the line.
Back up the pitch Rainey went, with K.Campton winning his side a penalty, which young G.Walker kicked with ease. Rainey finished the half strongly as G.McGuckin went close out wide on the left, only to be bundled into touch after a searing run from the ever dangerous J.McBride.
Rainey started the second half by camping in the Portadown 22′. Only for some last ditch tackles, J.McBride, R.Devlin and M.Donnelly would have extended the score. It was left to C.McIvor to pressure the opposition half backs from a scrum to gain a turnover and barge his way over for a crucial score. Both he and back-row partner A.Davis proved to be a menace to the opposition all afternoon.
Credit to Portadown who capitalised on some silly Rainey errors to bring themselves back into the game and at one point threaten to take away the spoils. However, like last week, the scrum held its own and again the lifting of D.McCann and K.Campton contributed to captain C.Patterson dominating the line-out, from where G.McGuckin scored after a catch and drive in the corner to draw level.
M.Montgomery strode over in the corner with five minutes to go snatch victory and two valuable league points. G.Walker again hitting a great conversion, missing only one difficult kick from out wide during the game.
TEAM: R.Convery, G.McGuckin, D.McCann, I.Patterson, C.Patterson (c), A.Davis, C.McIvor, K.Campton, M.Donnelly, K.Irvine, J.McBride, M.Montgomery, G.Walker, C.O’Kane, R.Devlin.
