Rainey Old Boys 19 NUIM Barnhall RFC 17
The traditional game of two haves was played out in Hatrick Park in Magherafelt on Saturday. The first half was a slow poorly contested event with both sides appearing somewhat lethargic. The second half was a much more entertaining and full blooded event with lots of opportunity for both sides.
It’s suggested that it’s difficult to win a game if you concede ten or more penalties and if you give away fifteen penalties you will loose. NUIM Barnhall conceded a total of 19 penalties in this game with 12 conceded in the first half. In another code of sport this would have suggested a bad tempered game and this was far from the case on Saturday. Indiscipline on the ground in much the same way the National team has performed of late was the main cause of the undoing of the NUIM Barnhall team. Indiscipline and the football skills of Mark O’Connor who accounted for all of the Rainey scores with a single try conversion and four penalties as the haul for the day’s work.
The home side opened up very brightly and in the first five minutes they strung together 12 phases of play before being awarded a penalty on the touchline about 23 meters out. O’Connor slid the ball across the face of the posts in a stiff breeze and this was to be his only mis-que with the boot on the day. Shortly thereafter NUIM Barnhall had the first of the troublesome lineout’s and the and the effort brought a groan from both the team and the supporters. The resulting pressure caused by this phase of play was well soaked up by the excellent NUIM Barnhall defence. Big tackles early on from Adam Hughes, Eamon Daly and Cormack Dunne set the standard for the level of commitment that was needed to keep the Rainey effort at bay. On ten minutes a lapse of concentration however allowed O’Carroll to cut through the defence and touchdown close to the posts making his conversion a formality.
The Barnhall forwards were quick to establish supremacy in the scrums and worked well in the loose when moving the ball quickly among the pack. A terrific break by Barry Dunne brought play close to the Rainey line only for over anxious play giving rise to a penalty followed by a booming relieving kick by O’Conor. Ross McKean was prominent at this time in carrying the ball but the final pass or over running of the ball resulted in zero impact on the score board.
A penalty on twenty eight minutes by O’Connor from almost the same spot as the initial attempt was successful and a ten point lead was established. Two more good scoring chances were spurned by the visitors before another rampant NUIM Barnhall forward drive forced another penalty out of Rainey. This time 18 meters out and Rob Holt had no difficulty in converting the score to close out the half at 10 points to 3.
The second half was much better fare with Barnhall restarting at a cracking place. Again McKean and Cornor McDermot were prominent in the loose with the two Dunne brothers also prominent. Somewhat against the run of play Rainey broke out in a good move initiated by the no 9 Paul Sciascia who linked up with John MacMahon to drive deep into the NUIM Barnhall half. A penalty was conceded and despite the bright start the visitors went a further three points behind courtesy of O’Connor. From the restart Barnhall immediately forced a penalty and opted for a scrum instead of the short range kick. Following the successful scrum Barry Dunne picked and drove for the line with Ross McKean finishing off the move for a solid try close to the posts.
The Rainey Old Boys response was immediate but a slow passage of play along the back line was jumped on by David Stewart and he intercepted a poor pass and won the race to the line with MacMahon hot in pursuit. Holt again added the points to edge 13 points to 17 in front. The four minute spell turned the game on its head. With the NUIM Barnhall pack dominating the scrums and the loose play it looked odd on that another victory on the road was in prospect. Failure to use the good quality possession being won and a tendency by both Eoin Hogan and particularly Holt to kick away good possession was a significant factor in preventing the visitors from kicking on to extend the narrow lead. Errors in defence gave a long range penalty to O’Carroll on only the second visit to the NUIM Barnhall half in the second period. At 16 points to 17 the Rainey old boys got a fresh impetus and this was evidenced by an improvement in the play of the forwards in the loose.
On 34 minutes the inevitable penalty the 19th of the day was conceded and O’Caroll again split the posts to edge his side 19 points to 17 ahead. With confidence restored to the home side it was simply a question of holding on to the ball to close out the game. Despite the extra efforts of Tom McKeon, Ross McKean and Daryl furlong there was no way to wrestle decent possession from the determined home side. The Rainey Old Boys President Billy Hatrick whose family the ground is named after, was delighted with his sides victory. He did concede that the BUIM Barnhall Boys were unusually generous on this occasion and was pleased that O’Carroll delivered the good’s.
