With many of their regulars unavailable for selection, it was a strange looking lineup that Rainey Old Boys had on duty on the opening day of the SONI Ulster Premiership.  Their opponents, Ballynahinch, Ulster's top club, won Section A last season while Rainey won Section B.  The visitors may have selected an experimental side for this game, but that does not detract from an unexpected superb effort from a makeshift young Rainey outfit which, once they gained a foothold in the game, went from strength to strength to secure a bonus point 29-16 victory.

 

Conditions improved in time for the crowd to enjoy a very entertaining spectacle which Ballynahinch dominated in the first quarter.  They kicked two early penalties as they starved Rainey of possession, but they rarely managed to get over the gain line as the home backs defended well.  Rainey replied with a breakaway try.  A charged-down kick by centre Hall ricocheted into his arms and he had the pace to make the most of his chance.  Hinch camped in Rainey territory to score a try and should have had another when an overthrow presented them with a great opportunity.

 

 

As the Rainey pack warmed to the task, their driving and offloading saw them playing on the front foot and they got away with a pass that was clearly forward to have Hinch reeling.

 

 

Hinch made the running again on the resumption, but Rainey scored through big prop McIntosh after retaining possession well to go through the phases and lay seige to the AIL 1B side's line.  Out-half Connolly converted.  Going great guns in the forwards, who were performing exceptionally well as a unit, they struck again through scrum-half Bloomfield, who sold a lovely dummy from a lineout take to dart through a gap which appeared in front of him and evade two tackles to go over for a remarkable try.  Connolly's conversion gave Rainey a 19-11 lead.

 

 

Rainey did not relax their grip, making yards of ground through the herculean efforts of the pack and a bonus point was theirs when more fine play created numbers on the left for second-row John McCusker to back himself to cross the line.  Connolly landed a magnificent conversion from a wide angle.  A late consolation Hinch try was not going to spoil Rainey's day, and Connolly added a final penalty with the last kick of the game.

 

 

TEAM : N.Jeffers, M.Mulholland, R.Sanderson, G.Hall, C.Moran, M.Connolly, J.Bloomfield, J.McIntosh, B.Davies, F.Quinn, A.Bratton, R.McCusker, A.Harbinson, J.McAuley, J.Breslin.  REPLACEMENTS : C.Donaghy, A.McSwiggan, A.Doherty, J.McCusker, M.McCusker, J.L.Evans.

 

 
On September 7, Rainey OB II travel to play Dromore II in the league. Judging by the record turnout at training, the Thirds and Fourths, who start later in the month, should have an enjoyable season.