Friendly 24th August 2019
Scorers: Connolly(2*Try), Donaghy(1*Try), Jeffers(1*Try), Bloomfield(1*Try), Magrath(1*Pen, 4*Conv)
Photos
After trailing 21-7 to visitors Dromore at half-time, Rainey Old Boys ran in four tries in the final quarter as the Barban Hill side began to wilt in the warm sunshine, to end up 36-28 winners. While pleased to turn things around, Rainey know that there is a lot of work to be done in the next few weeks before the AIL campaign starts. Ulster's top club, Ballynahinch come to Hatrick Park on Saturday (2:30 p.m. kick-off ) when the SONI Ulster Premiership gets under way. Tough games against Queen's and Ballymena and a Cup quarter-final will fully test them in September.
The Juniors ran the show for much of Saturday's work-out, showing the intensity and cohesion that should see them contend well this season. Rainey never got going up front and created nothing in the backs. Dromore were 14-0 ahead before hooker Roberts, easily Rainey's best player, managed to make a line break with Ronan McCusker and Bloomfield doing well in support. Quick ball was moved wide for centre Connolly to cut inside for a try at the posts, Magrath adding the points.
But the half was to end badly for Rainey, who were giving some of their young players a taste of senior rugby for the first time. John McCusker and Bloomfield were both shown yellow cards and the Dromore pack drove for the line to be awarded a penalty try to lead 21-7.
On the resumption, forward pressure saw prop Donaghy take a short pass from a ruck to score at the posts, but Dromore replied in style to make it 28-14. As the game entered the last quarter, a Rainey victory looked highly unlikely, but, as the tide began to turn, scrum-half Bloomfield narrowed the deficit and John McCusker stormed through the centre of the park to spreadeagle the Dromore rearguard and create an opportunity for Jeffers to leave his side only four points adrift. Shortly afterwards, Bloomfield took a quick tap penalty on halfway, chipped ahead and was on hand to score when a bad misfield presented him with a gift try. In the dying minutes, Rainey countered from a loose clearance for Connolly to go in unopposed.