AIL Division 2C – Game 2
Venue: Energia Park, Donnybrook

Midleton made the trip to Dublin for their first away fixture of the 2025 AIL Division 2C season, taking on a buoyant Bective Rangers side who were celebrating their first home AIL game since being relegated a number of seasons ago.

Fresh off a strong opening day win against Bruff, Midleton travelled with confidence, eager to build early momentum in the campaign. However, it was Bective who started the brighter, with Poole crossing in the 4th minute to open the scoring. Midleton hit back strongly through Du Toit, who dotted down in the 16th minute, with Lyne adding the conversion to bring the scores level at 7–7.

Unfortunately, shortly after, Midleton were dealt a blow as Richie Daly was forced off around the 20-minute mark with a shoulder injury — a moment that shifted the rhythm of the game. Here’s hoping the injury isn’t too serious and that Richie will be back in action soon.

Bective regained control before halftime with a try from Foote in the 36th minute, giving them a 12–7 lead at the break. The hosts continued to press after the restart, with McCloskey crossing in the 49th minute and Halpenny adding the extras. O’Meara sealed the result for Bective with a try on 53 minutes, leaving the final score at 22–7.

Despite the defeat, there were positives to take from the day. Both Jack Nesdale and Rob Casey made their AIL debuts, a proud milestone for the club. A special mention to Rob, who has progressed all the way from Midleton minis to the senior side — a fantastic achievement and a testament to the club’s development pathway.

Midleton will look to bounce back next weekend when they return home to Towns Park to face Ballyclare RFC, with kickoff at 2:30pm on Saturday.