Bective suffered their second straight defeat and a potential fatal blow to their promotion hopes as they lost to Terenure, 21-16 in a thrilling game, played in perfect rugby conditions at Donnybrook last Saturday.

Characterised as pretty much a must win game by Coach Kevin Lewis, the home side could not afford another slip up after a surprising loss at home to Dublin University in their previous match.

Bective started the match like men on a mission and dominated the first ten minutes of the contest. Centre Mike Summerel looked particularly dangerous in attack as he opened up the Terenure defence with a couple of probing runs. Rangers converted their early pressure into points when they were awarded a penalty in front of the post which was duly slotted over by outhalf, Tyrone Taipea, on the six minute mark.

A mistake from the resulting restart seemed to not only swing possession, but also momentum to the visitors as they had a driving maul held up on the line. From the resulting scrum the Terenure scrum half slipped under the awaiting bective tacklers to score the first try of the game and give his team the 5-3 advantage.

The game was played at a frenetic pace with both teams adopting a running game.

Terenure further extended their advantage when they scored a penalty on 22 minutes and scored their second try of the game after a quick penalty deep in Bective territory caught the home team off guard to give “nure” a 13-3 advantage.

With Bective on the ropes and Terenure seeking that knockout blow another mistake at the restart this time from Terenure gave Bective a chance to get back into the game. A maul off a lineout five metres from the Terenure line saw Alex O’Sullivan power over the line to give his team a life line before the break reducing the lead to 13-8.

A penalty in first half injury time after sustained pressure from the home side reduced the margin to two points 13- 11.

With Bective needing a good start to carry over the momentum they had wrestled away from Terenure in the closing stages of the first half it was the visitors who opened the scoring after number six Kevin O’Dwyer ran through the Bective defence leading to a penalty for his team that was slotted over to extend the lead to 16-11.

A sloppy Bective lineout saw the ball collected by “nure” number eight Brian Moroney, he passed to fullback Adam O’Loughlin but for the second time in the game Terenure were denied a try after been unable to ground the ball.

However, on sixty minutes they would get their try when out half David McAllister chipped through the Bective defence and collected the ball himself for a great individual try to give his team a ten point cushion.

Bective now on the back foot were frustrated by the Terenure defence and slow ball as they tried to chase the game.

It wasn’t until the seventy second minute that Rangers found their way through their opponents defence. Bective spread the ball across the field to where they had a two on one advantage on the outside and slid over for the try.

Needing a converted try for the win the home side, with the momentum and the crowd urging them on, pushed hard for the winning score only to be denied by inches as they were held up over the line on the last play of the game deep into injury time.

Thanks to Conor Donnelly