There were a lot of new faces in a very encouraging crowd which attended a close season meeting and barbecue in the Rainey Old Boys club last week. The coaching team of Richard Boyd, John Andrews and Dylan Davies addressed the squad, outlining what it would take to build on last season’s success and meet the challenge that lay ahead in Division 2A. They also stressed the need for some fundraising to contribute towards the costs involved.
Details of the pre-season build-up to the Ulster League were discussed and strength and conditioning coach Ryan Keating spoke about the testing that has already been carried out and the help and advice available to others in the coming weeks. By late October, the squad will be able to train on the Council’s new artificial surface currently under construction and, with the assistance of the Ulster Branch, a new gym, adjacent to the clubhouse, should be up and running. Since most of the potential first team squad have been keeping themselves in good nick during the close season, Tuesday 23rd July has been pin-pointed as the official start of pre-season training ( 7.00 p.m. ).
Rainey look like having a squad which should be competitive both at first and second fifteen levels. All of last season’s first choice players will be back, including Conor O’Neill who was injured early in the campaign. Michael Pyper should be available on a more regular basis and second-row Nathan Rankin returns after a year overseas.
The squad is greatly boosted by the arrival of several quality players. No8 or blindside Stephen Mulholland and centre Nicholas Stirling played for Ballymena against Rainey last season. Kyle Moore, a Commonwealth sprinter, has played at the top level at Ballymena in the past and still holds the Ulster Schools’ record of 49 tries in one season. Wing Neil Irwin, from Coleraine, was in the last Junior Ulster squad and will add strength in depth behind the scrum that was severely stretched at times last season. Back five forward Colin Mitchell, now living in Antrim, has joined from Cooke. A former Junior Ulster regular in his Derry YM days, he then had a spell with City of Derry and his versatility and athleticism make him a very useful acquisition.
Damian Campbell will have a wealth of schoolboy talent to nurture in 2nd XV squad which hopes to have some of the old guard on duty to add their vast experience. School leavers from Rainey, Ballymena Academy and CAI will blend in with the promising young players who caught the eye last season to push for a place in the senior squad.
