AIL campaign ends in defeat at Co Carlow
Co Carlow 28
Rainey OB 15
THE absence of skipper Neil O'Kane with a leg infection and transport problems on the journey south added to Rainey Old Boys' problems when they met Co.Carlow at a scenic Oak Park on the last day of the league season.
While there was nothing but pride at stake for these sides,a victory would have lifted Rainey seven places in the table.
But they failed to make it count when Carlow had two forwards sin-binned midway through the second half and slumped to another disappointing defeat.
Rainey's luxury coach broke down on the way to Carlow causing the kick-off to be put back twenty minutes.With Boyle at prop and Hawkins installed in the second row Rainey fell behind to an early penalty,but settled down to play some good rugby against a strong wind and after ten minutes Glancy fed Jerome McMurray whose inside pass gave his brother Jody the chance to go in for a morale-boosting try which Glancy did well to convert.
The Carlow forwards rolled over from a lineout with hooker Gee getting the touchdown,but Glancy put the Old Boys back in front when a high tackle on Stewart was penalized.
Back came Carlow and a penalty into the 22' gave their forwards the platform to help second-row Hennessey over for another try.
Rainey responded well spending a lot of time in the Carlow half,but the home side, a Division 1 outfit only two years ago,showed that they had the knack of coming away with points on their visits to Rainey territory when Aussie centre Lollohea broke clear for a try which co-centre Jacob converted.
Second-row Glendinning kept Rainey's hopes of claiming only their second away win alive when he followed up to score after Kerr had broken from a ruck and linked with his support, but with the last kick of the half Carlow made it 23-15 when Richard Paul was fed a hospital pass and then penalized for not releasing.
With the wind, sun and slope in their favour the points were there for the taking,but for the second week running Rainet allowed the opposition to dictate and were pinned in their own half until Walsh broke down the wing and kicked ahead.He was taken out by a late tackle,but Munster referee Michael Kennedy waved play on.
Rainey eventually found themselves in a strong attacking position and as they piled on the pressure Carlow had two forwards yellow carded for killing the ball.Rainey chose not to kick a simple penalty and opted instead for a scrum.
But with two extra men in the set-piece they messed up the heel to let the Barrowsiders off the hook.And things were to get worse for Rainey when an over zealous Glancy was shown the yellow card for his attempt to remove a Carlow forward from the wrong side of a ruck.
Although still a man short,Carlow assumed control again for second -row Carley to extend their lead and clinch a bonus point with a try which extinguished the fervour of the Rainey support.
The Old Boys spent the closing minutes in the Carlow 22', but their efforts to pick up a losing bonus point came to nothing.
Only the top four sides in Division 3 have scored more points than Rainey, but Rainey's points against record makes poor reading-in fact, it's the worst in all three divisions of the AIL.
TEAM: R.Paul,T.Walsh,Jer.Mc Murray,Jody Mc Murray,J.Mc Bride,M.Glancy,R.Paul,S.Mc Dowell,C.Heaney,P.Boyle,M.Glendinning,P.Hawkins,E.Stewart,A.Kerr,D.Dawson.
REPLACEMENTS:D.Pugh,G.Martin,S.Mc Kinstry-65 minutes.
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Weather for Belfast
Saturday 04 February 2012
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