Rainey Old Boys picked up the all-important bonus point,as expected,at Clifden where seven tries helped them to an easy 43-6 victory over lowly Connemara.
Rainey got off to a whirlwind start at the Monastery Field,scoring before the opposition had even handled the ball.Connemara made the careless mistake of putting the wind-assisted kick-off dead and then conceding a penalty at the ensuing scrum on halfway,from which Rainey patiently strung together a series of phases which ended with O’Connor spotting an inviting gap.While looking sharp,the Old Boys made some sloppy mistakes which handed Connemara a penalty,but the reply was almost immediate as wing Campbell was helped over the line after being held up just short.
Pyper made a neat little break on the left as Rainey controlled every department,but over elaboration in their own 22′ saw prop Rutledge yellow carded and Connemara kick another penalty.Their scrummaging domination presented them with opportunities which were not taken,but after 32 minutes Clarke finished off well to put them in a strong position.Bang on half-time,the Westerners were awarded a penalty when their scrum was demolished,but justice was done when the kick was missed.
Straight from the restart,Rainey were in a great attacking position and when Campbell was stopped a yard short,scrum-half Simpson nipped over from the ruck.When Stewart stole possession to enable them to kick deep again,Rutledge lost the ball as he plunged over the line.Despite being on the receiving end,Connemara kept trying and almost broke clear for what would have been a great score.Some lenient refereeing saved the home side as a number of unsuccessful pushover attempts added to Rainey frustrations.But there was no stopping O’Kane when he took the ball on the burst ten yards out.
After a sequence of substitutions and rolling substitutions,a handling error was punished with Rutledge getting the touchdown.Three minutes from the end, a text book cameo of tidying up by Heaney allowed Rainey to sweep downfield with backs and forwards combining on the right before the point of attack was moved to the other wing for McClelland
to stroll over.O’Connor landed his fourth conversion.
TEAM : M.O’Connor,A.Campbell,D.McMurray,M.Pyper,A.Clarke,G.Martin,S.Simpson,S.Rutledge,S.Sufferin,N.O’Kane,P.Boyle,T.Barker,A.Harbinson,P.McGowan,M.Shiels.
REPLACEMENTS :N.Amos,T.Burns,P.Heaney,P.Stewart,M.McClelland.
Other results : Boyne 16 v 14 Naas Instonians 20 v 35 Nenagh Ormond Navan 22 v 16 Thomond Barnhall 72 v 0 Clonakilty Skerries 19 v 10 Armagh Sligo 26 v 0 Ards Suttonians 24 v 13 Sunday’s Well
JUNIOR 3 result Dromore 2 7 v 5 Rainey O.B. 3
FIXTURES for 24 Nov.
1st XV v MALONE Senior Cup away 2.30 p.m.
2nd XV v QUEEN’S 2 home
3rd XV v PORTADOWN 3 home
4th XV v ENNISKILLEN 3 away
TABLE QUIZ – Friday,23 Nov. @ 9.00 p.m. Proceeds to MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT. Come early – big crowd last year.
