AIB Junior Cup: Round-Up

…Rainey players, Neil Seffen, Cormac Diamond, Jerome McMurray, Nathan Amos and Neil O’Kane, celebrate at the final whistle against Seapoint…

Rainey Old Boys and Youghal will create history on Saturday, April 8 when they contest the inaugural AIB Junior Cup final at Lansdowne Road.

Magherafelt-based Rainey, who suffered their first home defeat in two years recently against Coleraine in the Powerade Towns Cup, held all the aces when Dublin outfit Seapoint travelled north to Hatrick Park last Saturday.

Rainey, having led 12-9 at half-time, bossed the final quarter to run out 31-12 winners. Rainey fly half Jerome McMurray turned in a man of the match performance as he scored 26 points – kicking seven penalties, dropping a goal and converting scrum half Richard Paul’s try.

Seapoint could only manage four penalties from the boot of winger Conor Dundon.

Cork side Youghal defeated Armagh 14-10 at home last Saturday in a physical encounter. Full-back Sean Barry set them on their way with an eighth-minute penalty, however a try from centre Ally Redpath on 28 minutes saw the visitors head into the interval, armed with a 5-3 lead.

An unconverted try from centre Johnny Allen, just five minutes into the second half, saw Armagh go further in front but Youghal put on a final quarter spurt. Thanks to another Barry penalty, a try from replacement winger Brendan Mackey and replacement centre Mark Walsh’s injury-time drop goal, the hosts won out.

**Photo courtesy of David Shaw (Freelance)**