Ballymoney 3s come back to beat Rainey 3s at home

Ballymoney started the game playing away from the Club house and receiving the kickoff. From the kickoff, Rainey attacked the ball and after a miscommunication at the back, Rainey were over the line for their opener in less than 30 seconds. Not 5 minutes later Ballymoney found themselves in the same position.

Ballymoney restarted the game for the second time in short succession, and after a good chase from the forwards forcing a knock-on, Ballymoney had a scrum just inside the oppositions 22. After a good break from Adam Hodges through the middle, beating multiple defenders, the Rainey defense eventually brought him down with a high tackle. This set the trend for the next 5 minutes of play with penalty after penalty in their own five metre line Ballymoney eventually made it count when Alex Hughes burrowed below the Rainey defence to score. Conversion was missed but Ballymoney’s confidence grew from here.

With more high tackles coming from Rainey in the next phases the referee eventually had no choice but to produce the first of many yellow cards on the day.

Ballymoney made use of the penalties with Stuart Finney successfully finding touch until the 3s were set up deep in the Rainey half again, with good hands and carrying from the forwards, eventually the line was broke and Adam Hodges was in the corner with Ballymoney’s second score of the afternoon.

The hosts really made the extra man count when they went on the offensive again eventually putting Andy McNaugher in the corner for his first of the afternoon.

Unfortunately before half time Rainey went on the offensive again and while Ballymoney held out for 10 minutes in their own 22, the penalty count was rising and the referee had no option but to penalise Ballymoney with a yellow card. Eventually Rainey made the pressure and the extra man count just before half time scoring another try to go into half time with a 15-19 lead.

With Ballymoney back up to 15 players on the pitch they started the second half a lot better than the first; Rainey continued to give away penalties and soon Ballymoney made them count when a quick penalty was tapped and the ball was moved wide to put Andy McNaugher in the corner for his second of the afternoon.

With Ballymoney back in the lead they kicked on from here, camping in the opposition 22 piling on the pressure, with some good eyes and quick-thinking Stuart Finney sniped around to corner drawing in the single defender before releasing Andy McNaugher for his hat trick.

With Ballymoney’s defence killing any chances Rainey seemed to create, it wasn’t long until the boys in blue were back on the attack yet again. A period of sustained pressure saw Alex Hughes drive over the line for his second and Ballymoney’s sixth of the afternoon. The toon men added their first conversion of the afternoon to allow for some breathing room for a tough final 10 minutes.

Rainey threw everything at Ballymoney for the final 10 and it wasn’t long until the penalty count started to rise. The ref produced another yellow card reducing Ballymoney to 14 for the final 5 minutes. The home side dug deep and held on to their 32-19 lead until the final whistle.

This victory puts the 3’s top of the Provincial North table with everything still to play for; the 3s will be looking to carry this form to Donegal Town on the 10th of next month.