Rainey hoping history repeats itself in crunch Schools' Cup quater-final clash against Ballymena Academy

​The Magherafelt school have reached the last eight this year and once again Ballymena stand in their way on the path to glory as the sides prepare to meet each other at Rainey on Saturday morning (10.30am).

The quarter-final draw has evoked memories of 43 years ago and Rainey Director of Rugby Wilbur Leacock is looking forward to pitting his wits against last year’s runners up.

“Chris Campbell, the head of rugby at the school, was part of that squad back in ’82 and he has been a great supporter since I have joined the schoolm,” he said.

“There is a bit of excitement but we know it is a huge challenge. Ballymena Academy are a big school, finalists last year, so we are under no illusions about the task ahead and we probably go in as big underdogs.”

Leacock has returned to the school where he played to become Director of Rugby.

He added: “I always had an inkling that I wanted to go back and teach in my old school, and the job came up and I felt it was the right time to go back.

“I played in two Schools’ Cups and in my final year we lost to Wallace in the quarter-finals. It is great to be back and it is great to be coaching my old school going into a quarter-final against Ballymena academy.”

Rainey reached the last 16 a season ago and Leacock knows it is all about utilising resources and tapping into the GAA community in Magherafelt as the school attempts to go further in the tournament this year.

“A lot of the boys are playing multiple sports, we have a lot of Gaelic boys in the team,” he said.

“Owen O’Kane, our ‘10’, is probably one of the best out-halves in Ulster rugby at school level [and] played Gaelic, but he is now playing rugby full time.

“He had a good successful Ulster Schools campaign and is an interpro winner. He has been a great addition and a great leader, he’s our captain and he has turned into a really good rugby player.

“He is from a Gaelic background and that is an advantage. The skill set they bring from Gaelic enhances our rugby programme which has been great.

“The boys call Owen the ‘general’. He is a top-class player and his kicking game is excellent.”

Leacock wants to see Rainey progressing from season to season.

“We hadn’t got out of the group stages until last year and we got out as runners up to BRA,” he said.

“We ended up in the last 16 and got beaten by a good Methody side, that was my first year.

“This year we targeted getting out of the groups again. We got a last 16 tie away at Bangor and we won that, so last 16 last year and a quarter-final this year against Ballymena Academy.

“I don’t think we are going to be winning Schools’ Cups; we are a small school – it is a huge challenge for any small country school to win the Schools’ Cup – but if we can keep qualifying for the knockout stages.”

Rainey have been the entertainers of the Schools’ Cup this season. In their four matches they have scored 26 tries and 32 points or more in each game.

Leacock said: “We have Lorcan McLarnon who came in from St Mary’s and is involved in the Ulster set-up at underage, he’s been a big addition to the side.

“Luke O’Connor has come in from St Mary’s, both are Rainey Old Boys U16s; Ardan Goldridge joined from Sperrin Integrated so we got three good players in.

“I think we are playing a decent brand of rugby and we have scored a few tries which is great.

“I’m a big fan of the group games, I really enjoy them and it gives you a good prep and a bit of competition early in the season.

“I suppose for the county schools and the smaller schools it is a really good competition to get into because it does give you that intensity and you need to be winning games to qualify for the knockout stages.

“It was something new to me having come from Methody, but I think the groups are great, you’re playing different sides, and we won our group this year and it prepares you going into the last 16.”

Leacock is looking forward to a big occasion in Magherafelt on Saturday.

“We were on the way back from Bangor after winning our last 16 tie and with social media it came through; we just wanted a home draw and we got that,” he said.

“We didn’t know if it was Dalriada or Ballymena until their replay. You just want a home draw we got that, so we just have to prepare for it, hopefully get a good crowd down at the school and get a positive result.

“We’re excited, we have worked incredibly hard as a group, and it is going to be an occasion that all the boys are looking forward to but at the end of the day it is just another game of rugby at home.

“Ballymena are a good side and they beat Dalriada 22-0 in the replay so I wouldn’t say we have nothing to fear but we’re not going in thinking we’re just there to turn up, we’re going to be competitive, get stuck in and hopefully we can get a result.”