UBL 4th March 2017
Scorers: Andrew(1*Try), McLean(2*Pen, 1*Conv)
Only two games were played in Division 2C on a day when the rain disrupted much of the rugby programme. At Bruff, Navan pulled clear of the Limerick men to win 15-8 after the sides were level at half-time. This great result keeps them ahead of Sligo, who were impressive 17-13 winners over Rainey Old Boys at Hatrick Park. Rainey feared that their front-row problems would be a major hurdle to surmount, but it turned out that they played second fiddle in every department on a day they will wish to forget very quickly. Such was Sligo's dominance, that they should have had the points safely locked away before half-time and it was amazing that Rainey were only a kick of the ball from stealing a most unlikely victory late in the game.
Strictly speaking, Rainey could still make the play-offs or even catch Sligo, but they were so poor that even their most avid followers would not bet on it. The scrum was in trouble throughout, but the pack was simply not at it, while the backs had nothing to offer, kicking too much ball away and inviting a very competent Sligo back three to run at them. The one bright light for Rainey was their tackling, which kept them in the game with an outside chance. With confidence now at a low ebb, the last four games could prove to be tricky enough.
An early pitch inspection allowed the game to go ahead and, in fact, conditions were not a problem, with little breeze to trouble the players. Rainey seldom crossed the halfway line in the first half, struggling in the set pieces and persisting with box kicks which gave any chasers no chance of challenging for possession. They hardly put two passes together, while Sligo moved the ball about well to stretch Rainey's cover. A short range penalty gave Sligo a 15th minute lead and a minute later, they scored a try down their right wing to be good value for an 8-0 lead. On 26 minutes, a great drive in a scrum brought them another three points. It was almost half-time before Rainey showed any signs of life, but a careless knock-on by full-back Andrew, typical of the basic mistakes made by Rainey players throughout the game, handed the opposition a scrum and then a penalty which left Sligo 14-3 up at the interval.
Rainey showed much more urgency on the restart, putting Sligo on the back foot when No8 Corrigan launched a great move from a pick-up with backs joining in to take play well into the Sligo 22' where a penalty was conceded. However, eight minutes into the half, a gift score handed Rainey a lifeline. From a mark in his 22', full-back Keegan invited Andrew to counter and he exchanged passes with out-half Martin down the left to cut in unopposed for a try at the posts. McLean, who had kicked a 40 yard penalty towards half-time, converted. Sligo responded with some impressive play which kept Rainey in their own half, but, when a long kick from Martin and a good chase earned Rainey a penalty, McLean obliged despite not striking the ball as well as he would have wished. He then decided to have a go from 60 yards, but again failed to make proper contact. One kick could have given Rainey a remarkable victory, but Sligo were not to be denied as they stamped their authority on the closing stages and added a last minute penalty.
TEAM : R.Andrew, S.McLean, D.McMurray, J.McMurray, A.Donaghy, G.Martin, M.Wilson, K.Donaghy, M.Caithness, F.Quinn, R.McCusker, T.Barker, M.McCusker, J.Lees, D.Corrigan.
REPLACEMENTS : O.Quinn, A.McSwiggan, M.Nevin, J.McCusker, J.McIntosh.