Reaney revels in rich try fest for Ballynahinch

31 October 2018

BALLYNAHINCH bagged another five-point haul after scoring eight tries in a victory that was more one-sided than the scoreline suggests.

Brian McLaughlin was denied the services of full back Peter Nelson after his cameo for Ulster on Friday night, so the back line was unchanged. He was able to use prop Tom O’Toole for 40 minutes off the bench to bolster the pack while John Donnan was also fit to return at lock.

On an excellent afternoon for attacking rugby the early pressure was from the visitors, but they could only manage a penalty from a sustained period of possession and some excellent counterattacking from Conall Boomer and Connor Kelly eventually led to a close range score from lock James Simpson.

Hilton Gibbons converted for a 7-3 lead. A wayward box kick from Rhys O’Donnell allowed Buccaneers to pile on the pressure and when flanker Oli Loughead collapsed a driving maul, he received a yellow card and the visitors eventually scored a soft try from a five metre scrum after another maul was well defended.

The home side then took control of the match, scoring two fine tries before half-time.

Rory Butler recovered an O’Donnell kick and multiple phases later was on hand to put Richard Reaney in for the score to take the lead and when Buccaneers were turned over as they tried to play out of defence, excellent interplay between centres Butler and Callum McLaughlin enabled Boomer to release Kelly, who finished well in the corner to leave the half-time score at 17-10.

Early Buccaneers pressure in the second half was well defended on their own line by the ‘Hinch forwards, with O’Toole and Boomer prominent and when skipper Aaron Cairns put in a great kick down the line, ‘Hinch pressure on the line out led to an attacking scrum.

O’Donnell scored as the ‘Hinch pack drove their opponents over the line for the bonus point score. Cairns then scored the try of the match with a brilliant line close to the ruck near the halfway line taking him into space.

He then accelerated round the opposition defence to score. It was all ‘Hinch at this point and as the men from Athlone began to chase the game, a loose pass gave Reaney the opportunity to hack the ball through for the sixth ‘Hinch try. Reaney then turned provider with a fine break leading to O’Donnell’s second score as the home side stretched their lead out to 37-10.

With the result secured, ‘Hinch management emptied the bench and consequently lost some of their intensity, but there was still time for Reaney to complete his hat-trick with a well-finished score after some excellent offloading between forwards and backs.

To their credit, Buccaneers never gave up and they were rewarded with an unlikely bonus point as they took full advantage of some poor defending at the set piece from a ‘Hinch team which had clearly switched off to score three late converted tries and bring respectability to the scoreboard.

Ballynahinch move up to third in the table and will travel to Naas at the weekend in good form.

They will know that after missing seven out of eight conversions, more success from the kicking tee will be required in tighter matches, but will hope to kick on as the season comes to the boil in the run up to Christmas.

Ballynahinch 42

Buccaneers 31

AIL DIVISION 1B

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