Rainey started well and took an early 3-0 lead when Scott McLean converted a penalty opportunity following a Dromore infringement. Four minutes later Ryan Hughes and Jonny Creighton combined to pressurise the Rainey defence into giving away a penalty at the breakdown and TJ Morris stepped up to draw the scores level at 3-3.
Dromore controlled territory and possession for the next 15 minutes but found no way through until Morris pounced on a loose ball and outpaced the covering defence to touch down. His conversion extended the lead to 10-3.
For the final few minutes of the first half, Rainey started to gain some territorial advantage but Dromore’s 10-3 lead remained intact at the interval.
The Rainey team started the second half strongly and reduced the deficit to 10-6 when McLean kicked his second penalty of the night.
The Magherafelt boys were unable to build on this and it was Dromore that went on to control most aspects of the game in the third quarter. However, they found it hard to break down the opposition defence despite the efforts of players such as Jack Pepper, Ryan Hughes, Marcus Heath and Ross Bingham. Rainey had players such as Cameron Fulton, Daniel O’Neill, Rory Nicholl, Aidan McSwiggan and Fintan Quinn to thank for ensuring Dromore could find no way through.
Rainey pushed for a late repost and came close to scoring on a few occasions but once again the County Down side were up to the task in defence. The final whistle sounded and it was the Dromore U18 team that celebrated their hard earned 10-6 win in the final of the Nutty Krust Tournament.
Following the game presentations were made by John Kinnear, IRFU (Ulster Branch( President) and Bronson Ross, Ulster Rugby player, to the match officials, players from Rainey and Dromore and to a man synonymous with the successful organisation of many Nutty Krust Tournaments, Willie Gribben. Dromore back row Ryan Hughes received the Man of the Match award from Ross.
