Inishowen RFC show their class away to Rainey 

In a changed team from last weekend, Inishowen travelled to face a quality Rainey side knowing they would have to be at their best to overcome their dominant hosts.

Inishowen started well and took the lead from a Scott penalty inside five minutes before the same player notched another shortly after making it 0-6. 

The home side put pressure on and, after a few minutes inside the visitors’ 22, they dispatched a drop goal to make it 3-6. 

Then, just before half-time, with the clock in the red, a great chase down from Scott and McLaughlin caught the home side out and Scott sneaked a try in the corner which left the score 3-11 at half-time. 

The second-half became a bit of a war of attrition with both sides losing players to injury. Rainey scored next when they notched a penalty to make it 6-11. 

It was really turning into a great game at this point with two quality sides going at each other. Then Browne won a lineout eight metres out and Inishowen formed a perfect maul the speed of which caught the home side off guard with Riain Shortt peeling off and breaking for the line for a textbook finish. With the subsequent kick converted by Scott, the score was 6-18. 

This seemed to galvanise the home side, who really upped their game and worked the ball out wide to score in the corner to leave it 11-18. 

The hits came thick and fast then and when a powerhouse tackle from Short stopped Rainey in full flight the ball was turned over and momentum once again shifted to the visitors. 

Scott notched another penalty shortly after to make the game safe at 11-21. Coran Donaghy had a storming game at number eight as did Kyran Cantwell and Riain Shortt showing the quality young players this side have. 

Next up is UUC at home on the 24th of February before the much anticipated Forrester Cup semi-final in Ballnahinch on the 2nd of March.