Ballymena 2nds 57–35 Rainey 2nds
2nd XV League
Saturday 19th September 2026
Try Scorers: B Brown (1), D McErlean (2), A Brown (1), G Hall (1)
Conversions: S McLean (5)
Rainey 2nds travelled to Ballymena on Saturday to kick-start their 2nd XV League campaign, but despite an entertaining and hard-fought encounter, it was the home side who came away with the points following a 57–35 victory.
The opening ten minutes saw both sides exchange attacks, with Rainey looking the more threatening of the two teams. However, an eagerness to force the play resulted in a number of unforced errors which allowed Ballymena to gain a foothold in the contest.
The home side opened the scoring following a scrum just outside their own 22. After working through a number of phases, Ballymena spread the ball wide and managed to draw in the Rainey defence before finishing in the corner. The conversion was unsuccessful, leaving the score 5–0.
Ballymena soon added a second try. A lineout in the Rainey half was secured and the home pack drove forward through a maul before continuing through several phases. Eventually, they found a way through the Rainey defensive line to score, with the conversion successful to make it 12–0.
Rainey responded well. Scrum-half Lorcan Quinn took a quick tap penalty inside the Ballymena 22 and, after a couple of phases, No.8 Ben Brown powered through the home defence to score Rainey’s opening try. Scott McLean added the conversion to reduce the deficit to 12–7.
Ballymena responded almost immediately. A well-placed kick to the corner gave them a lineout just short of the Rainey five-metre line. The home side secured clean ball and, after several phases, their back-row forward picked from the base of a ruck and powered straight through the middle to score. The conversion was successful, making it 19–7.
From the restart, Ballymena were straight back on the attack. After two phases, they began to find gaps through the middle of the Rainey defence, using slick handling and offloading to eventually put a player in under the posts. The successful conversion extended their lead to 26–7.
The home side then added another score after winning a scrum against the head just outside the Rainey five-metre line. Ballymena moved the ball left before working it back towards the right through several phases. Their inside centre eventually found a gap and crashed over the line, with the conversion making it 33–7.
Rainey refused to let their heads drop and closed out the half with a much-needed try.
Quinn again took a quick tap penalty and fed prop Deaglan McErlean, who powered his way over from close range. McLean added another successful conversion to leave the half-time score:
Ballymena 33–14 Rainey.
Rainey started the second half with renewed intent and immediately put pressure on the Ballymena defence.
A penalty gave the visitors an opportunity to kick for the corner. Rainey won their own lineout and worked through two phases before moving the ball into the backs. Inside centre Ryan Kearns carried strongly towards the line, dummying an inside pass to Matthew Brown before releasing the ball out the back to outside centre Gareth Hall.
Hall broke through the defensive line and raced over for Rainey’s third try of the afternoon. McLean again converted to bring the score to 33–21.
Rainey were now playing some excellent attacking rugby and launched another prolonged attack from a scrum just inside their own half.
Quinn initially shaped to go left before flicking the ball right through McLean and Adam Brown on the blindside. With the attack halted, Rainey changed direction and moved the ball through a succession of hands involving Quinn, McLean, Brown, Ewan Bolton, Hall, Joel Bell and replacement Aaron Caldwell.
With Ballymena’s defence stretched, the attack came back towards the opposite side before switching again. Fullback Adam Brown joined the line at pace and powered over for Rainey’s fourth try.
McLean’s conversion was successful, bringing Rainey right back into the contest at 33–28.
However, Ballymena responded immediately. Sloppy defending around the ruck pillars allowed a home back-row forward to break through a gap following an offload and race clear to score to the left of the posts. The conversion was successful, restoring Ballymena’s 12-point advantage at 40–28.
Ballymena continued to threaten, but Rainey prop Deaglan McErlean produced an excellent turnover to halt another attack before clearing towards the home 22.
Ballymena recovered the ball and launched another attack, using an offload to break through the Rainey defence. Their back then produced a chip over the final defender, won the foot race and gathered the ball before crossing the line. The conversion was missed, leaving the score 45–28.
Rainey scrum-half Quinn then used a box kick to clear the danger, but Ballymena quickly returned the ball to attack. After several quick phases, the home side spread the ball wide and worked around the Rainey defensive line to score in the corner. The conversion was unsuccessful, making it 50–28.
Rainey continued to battle and were rewarded with another try.
A penalty allowed them to kick to the corner, where they secured possession and formed a maul. After working through six phases and edging closer to the Ballymena line, Deaglan McErlean powered his way over for his second try of the afternoon.
McLean added another successful conversion to bring the score to 50–35, giving Rainey hope of another comeback.
However, Ballymena had the final say.
From a scrum just inside their own half, the home side moved the ball quickly into the backs and attacked wide. When the initial attack was halted, they switched direction and worked through three further phases.
As the Rainey defence scrambled back, an offload created another opening and a Ballymena forward broke through before being stopped just short of the five-metre line. Quick ball from the resulting ruck allowed the home side to attack again, eventually working around the Rainey defence.
The final Ballymena player crossed the line before dummying the last defender to finish under the posts, making the conversion straightforward.
The successful kick brought the final score to:
Ballymena 2nds 57–35 Rainey 2nds
Despite the result, Rainey showed plenty of attacking threat throughout the afternoon, scoring five tries and at times producing some excellent phases of rugby. The visitors will now look to take the positives from their opening league fixture and work on the defensive lapses which ultimately allowed Ballymena to pull away in the second half.
