Dalriada 1st XV retain the Topping Trophy

DALRIADA 1st XV travelled away to Magherfelt to take on Rainey in the Annual Arthur Topping trophy match and came away with an excellent 17-3 victory.

The game was played in quite poor conditions considering it was early September.

Rain made the ball wet and the ground soft underfoot but it was the Dalriada team who adapted quickest and got off to a solid start, controlling possession intelligently.

However it was Rainey who the lead with a well struck penalty. Dalriada immediately responded with some tight forward play resulting in a Peter McCully try. Another score followed with David Campbell on the score sheet.

A conversion by Ewan strand made it 12-3 at which point Dalriada controlled the game and just before the end finished off Rainey with a try from Ewan Strand to make it 17-3 to the visitors.

Afterwards the trophy was presented to the Dalriada Captain by Sarah Topping the daughter of the late 1st XV coach Arthur Topping.

The senior squad is a little stretched with a number of Ulster call ups and injuries.

The 2nd XV managed to field a young side who battled valiantly against a strong Rainey 2nd XV and went down to a 29-7 score line. Good performances came from Stuart Fallows.

At Dalriada the Junior sides were all in action and there were mixed results with the medallion losing and the under 14’s and under 13’s both winning comfortably.