Easy wins for Old Boys
Thursday, 21 August 2008
New Rainey coach Rhys Botha saw his new charges off to a winning pre-season.
Rainey OB.........34
Clogher Valley....10
OVERHEAD conditions could scarcely have been worse at Hatrick Park when Rainey Old Boys met Clogher Valley in the annual Derek Lee Memorial Match.
Yet, despite the driving rain that fell throughout the playing surface was in great shape, allowing the players to produce some good rugby for the hardy souls who braved the elements.
The Junior side competed well and can be pleased with many aspects of their game, but Rainey gradually took over to run out 34-10 winners. New coach Colin Steenson will be confident that the Fivemiletown club will again be among the contenders for the Qualifying 1 title, while his counterpart Rhys Botha took the opportunity to have a look at his squad before joining the fray in the final quarter.
Out-half Glancy gave Rainey a seventh minute lead as the home side forced the early pace. The visitors came more into it and drew level seven minutes later through out-half Bothwell when Rainey prop Boyle was penalized as a lazy runner who got in the way in an offside position.
After 22 minutes the Valley back-row broke upfield from a scrum before the ball was moved wide for wing Andy Breen to score an excellent try which Bothwell converted. They were good value for their lead and defended with composure as Rainey strove to get on level terms.The visitors just managed to scramble the ball to safety when Mc Bride was first to a well placed kick from Glancy to set up another attack, but on the stroke of half-time Rainey made the breakthrough when the ball was slipped to second-row Dawson who burst clear from outside the 22' to force his way over. Glancy's well judged kick into the crosswind left the sides level.
Most of the second period was spent in the Clogher half. In a spell of concerted pressure Rainey ran a number of kickable penalties only to lose the ball in contact just short of the line when they looked sure to score. The Valley scrum was creaking even before they had a player yellow carded for another professional foul and centre Neal Suiter took a short pass from McBride to score at the posts ten minutes into the half.
Flanker Paul Smith, a former Ireland Schools international from Ballymena, was helped over as Rainey attacked from the tail of a lineout and Clogher struggled in vain to lift the siege as Newcastle University student Smith and his fellow flanker Hawe hounded the Valley half-backs. Some well placed kicks from Glancy kept Clogher on the back foot and minutes later Mc Bride broke a tackle to make it 29-10.
As some drenched fans wisely opted for the shelter of the clubhouse and the Olympic 100 m final Raineydid not relent and when scrum-half Wilson made a break Botha was on his shoulder to send supporting prop Mc Dowell over for another fine try.
