U18 RAINEY 27 - 0 BALLYMENA

Ulster Carpets U18 North 17th February 2018
Scorers: Kearns(1*Try, 3*Conv, 2*Pen), Clarke(2*Try)


Rainey U18s set themselves up very nicely for the league playoffs with a surprisingly comfortable 27-0 win over section winners Ballymena.  Rainey started the game in determined fashion, aiming to put an abrupt halt to Ballymena's unbeaten record this season. The balance of play was very even in the early stages as both sets of forwards set about testing each other out, though Rainey with Kealan Friel having a super game in the 10 jersey, held an advantage in the backs department.

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U18 RAINEY 37 - 5 LETTERKENNY

Ulster Carpets U18 North 25th November 2017
Scorers: Young(1*Try, 1 Conv), Molloy(1*Try), McGlone(1*Try), Murray(1*Try), Friel(2Try), Diamond(1*Try)
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Rainey U18s had their sternest test of the season so far when they came up against Letterkenny in the league last Saturday.  In the end, they ran out comfortable 37 - 5 winners, but they were made to work hard for their victory by the Donegal men.  Rainey can look back on some missed opportunities and handling errors which took the gloss off the performance, but all said and done, it was a good day at the office.

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U18 RAINEY 76 - 3 LIMAVADY

Ulster Carpets U18 League North 18th November
Scorers: McCann(3*Try), Diamond(1*Try), Friel(2*Try), Clarke(1*Try), McGlone(1*Try), Molloy(1*Try), Jeffers(1*Try), McErlain(1*Try),  Kearns(1*Try, 8*Conv)

Photos


Rainey U18s kept intact their Ulster Carpets U18 League North record when then had an easy victory over Limavady last Saturday.  Unfortunately, Limavady were unable to field a complete team, which resulted in a succession of Rainey players swapping sides in an attempt to make a contest of the match. In this at least, they failed, as Rainey ran out 76 - 3 winners.

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U18 ARMAGH 0 - 31 RAINEY

U18 Friendly 11th November 2017
Scorers: Molloy(2*Try), Clarke(1*Try), Diamond(1*Try), Friel(1*Try), Kearns(3*Conv)

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Rainey OB U18s travelled to the Palace Grounds in Armagh for a friendly fixture last Saturday, coming away with a satisfying 31-0 victory. Although Armagh enjoyed a significant weight advantage in the scrums, they were never able to make it count, with the visitors driving them off their own ball on several occasions, while the quality of the Rainey defence ensured their line was only threatened on a couple of occasions.

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U14 BALLYMONEY 7 - 40 RAINEY

Ulster Carpets U14 League North 30th September 2017

Scorers: Cleary(1*Try), McKendry(2*Try), Gregg(2*Try), Daly(1*Try, Daly(5*Conv)

 

It was a successful opening day of the league at Kilraughts for Rainey U14s who comfortably eased past Ballymoney on a 7 - 40 scoreline. On a fine day for running rugby, the Rainey lads showed a lot of enterprise and committment as they ran in six tries.

 

Rainey started strongly, with early pressure from second row Cleary, flanker Lee and prop Loughran forcing a ballymoney error. From the resulting scrum, Rainey went through the phases, with strong carries from outhalf Daly, centres McKendry & McMaster. Winger McAlary kept Rainey going forward and the pressure soon told when Cleary barged over in the corner to score the opening try of the day. Daly was unsuccessful, but it was his only miss of the day, as he would calmly knock over the following five.

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Last Gasp Heartbreak For U14s

Ulster Carpets U14 Youth Cup Final 
Rainey OB 14-17 Portadown


Portadown have won the 2017 Ulster Carpets U14 Youth Cup thanks to a thrilling 14-17 win over Rainey OB.  Despite leading 14-12 going into the last play, the young Magherafelt lads were denied the ultimate prize by a last gasp score by Portadown.

Portadown got off to a flying start on 4 minutes when No8 Callum Walker steamrolled through four attempted tackles to crash over under the posts, with Rhys Heasty adding the conversion to put his side 0-7 in front.

In the second quarter of the game Rainey stretched their opponents with some swift passes out wide, bringing play to within ten metres of the opposition line, but the Portadown defence managed to hold firm and prevent any further score before the interval.

Rainey drew level just two minutes after the restart when lock Fionn O'Donnell pounced to intercept a pass before beating the covering defence to slide over, then Adam Brown confidently dispatched the conversion.

On 43 minutes Portadown centre James Campbell scored a superb individual try, cutting in from the right wing to touch down.

With just a couple of minutes left on the clock, Rainey pressurized the Portadown defence high up the pitch, forcing a turnover for out-half Tom Crozier to stretch over and touch down. Another well struck conversion from Brown edged Rainey 14-12 in front as it looked like the Magherafelt side had done enough for the win.

However, with the very last play of the game Campbell burst through on the right wing, searing away from the cover for his second try to snatch the win for Portadown.

Congratulations must be offered to both sides for what was a fantastic game of youth rugby, played with huge endeavor and plenty of skill.  

Rainey OB U14 Team:
(15-9): Ruairi McGuigan, Jack Gregg, Callum McGlone, Conor Dyson, James Mawhinney, Tom Crozier, Ryan O'Kane;
(1-8): Ethan McClenaghan, Alaster Moore, Mark McCullagh, Wiktor Maksymillian, Fionn O'Donnell, Adam Brown, Mark Lee, Ben McCullagh (Capt).
Replacements: David McCleery, Ryan Harkness, Tiernan Loughran, Rohan Lennox, Ben Mackey.

 

In the other age grades, Virginia edged out Randalstown 12-7 in a tight U16 encounter, while as expected, Armagh U18s cantered past Letterkenny to an easy 53-7 victory to complete their hat-trick of local trophies.