It’s double delight for brilliant Bann U18s!

BANN U18s 13

RAINEY U18s 5

​Having lifted the Ulster Cup at the Kingspan Stadium the previous Saturday, Bann went into this final as favourites.

They lived up to that tag, but not without a tough battle against a Rainey side who tested the Rifle Park side to the limit.

The game was played in almost perfect overhead conditions although the pitch was heavy underfoot.

​Bann commenced proceedings kicking deep into Rainey territory and quickly got the upper hand on their opponents, winning a penalty which Jay Agnew slotted between the uprights.

This prefaced a period of Bann dominance and Agnew kicked a second penalty to extend the lead.

As Rainey began to gain parity of possession, thanks in part to poor execution by Bann, they won a penalty but it was pushed wide, leaving Bann with a 6-0 lead going into the second half.

​Bann came under pressure at the start of the second period.

Rainey were struggling at the lineout but a solid scrum and effective pick-and-go tactic had them encamped for long periods in Bann’s ‘22’.

Eventually they broke through the Bann lines for an unconverted try to reduce the deficit to a single point.

As Bann again found themselves holding out against Rainey attacks, yellow cards to two players left them particularly vulnerable.

But there was a steely resolve to the defensive work of the 13 players who remained on the pitch which prevented Rainey from adding to their tally.

​The siege was lifted by a break downfield spearheaded by James Waddell. When Rainey were penalised, Agnew’s kick set up an attacking lineout from which No. 8 Jack Toal peeled off to touch down, with Agnew’s conversion putting two scores between the sides, a gap which remained until the final whistle.

​After the game head coach Coly Bickerstaff paid tribute to his team. “We had to dig deep out there and hats off to Rainey, they made it a terrific game.

“I thought in the first half we played some excellent rugby, but were off the pace a bit in the second half.

"Rainey changed it up in the second half which put us on the back foot.

“I’m delighted to win the Nutty Krust back-to-back, yes, we were missing a few players, but I have to pay huge gratitude to the schools’ players who came to help.

"We will now take a short break over Easter and re-focus our efforts on the league.

“There were some great performances, but Frank Doherty just edged it for my man-of-the-match.”

Both teams adjourned to the club for the presentation meal and awards, with Jack Toal adjudged man-of-the-match by the Nutty Krust Organising Committee.

​“In the first half we played some excellent rugby.”

​