Ulster Bank AIL 2B 29th September 2018
Scorers: R.McCusker(1*Try), Pritchard(1*Try), Magrath(2*Conv)
Rainey Old Boys were fully aware of the task that lay before them when they travelled down to Kildare for their opening AIL clash with Barnhall, but they never could have expected to have their line crossed five times in an almost surreal first half as the confident Leinster men went on to win 36-14.
The game was as good as over after fourteen minutes with a rampant Blue Bulls outfit 19-0 ahead. To their credit, Rainey stuck at it and played much of the game in the Barnhall half, but they coughed up too much ball in contact as they drove at the opposition forwards, and found a couple of key decisions go against them. They can say that they won the second half, but they had no hope of salvaging anything from this game.
While Rainey captain Paul Pritchard was passed fit to play, they had to replace their entire front row for various reasons. But while the scrum held firm for most of the contest, Rainey on the day were simply blown out of the water. Wearing their new strip for the first time,t hey were first to threaten, but a quickly taken penalty on halfway saw Barnhall romp clear down the right for the opening score. By moving the ball wide at every opportunity, Barnhall created space for their wingers to use their great pace and add two more tries. Rainey spent time in the home 22', but the ball retention was just not good enough. Right-wing Quinn led a couple of promising attacks, but they came to nothing and the failure of the match officials to spot a clear knock-on and a foot in touch caused them further grief.
Turning round 29-0 in arrears, Rainey used the breeze to play in the Barnhall half. The pack worked hard to keep their hosts in their own 22' for spells and Ronan McCusker forced his way over for a deserved try, converted by Magrath. Pritchard forced his way over at the posts for Rainey's second converted try to give his side a faint chance of going home with a losing bonus point, but it was not to be. It will take a shell-shocked Rainey side some time to get over this nightmare.
TEAM : M.O'Neill, O.Quinn, C.Fitzsimonds, A.Magrath, M.Mulholland, S.McLean, J.Bloomfield, F.Quinn, D.O'Neill, J.McIntosh, R.McCusker, J.Mc Cusker, A.Harbinson, T.Barker, P.Pritchard.
REPLACEMENTS : C.Smyth, A.Donaghy, M.McCusker, M.Nevin, M.Miller.