City of Derry Rugby Club got their quest for promotion to All Ireland League Division 2 back on track on Saturday with a dramatic last play of the game victory away to Nenagh in Tipperary. Derry were loosing by 17pts to 16pts deep in injury time when Nenagh were awarded a penalty on the half way line. Their out half and probably their best player former Shannon man David Delaney, his task was to find touch and win possession and kill the game. Delaney missed touch and kicked long and dead with a scrum back on the half way line to Derry. Seventeen phases of play and two minutes later Peter Henderson touched down for the winning try which was converted by Richard McCarter and as the referee blew the final whistle ecstasy and jubilation abounded from Derrymen on and off the pitch.
Following two defeats in their last two games against Rainey away and Ards at home the journey that has taken this squad of players, coaches and club from relegation three seasons ago to Junior League and Cup successes, promotion to AIL Division 3 and now the ambition of further promotion to AIL 2 seemed to have been thwarted.
The old North Kerry proverb “a difficult journey makes the destination more rewarding” seems to epitomise this Derry team and it was none more so evident in their Trip to Tipp last weekend. The last pulsating move of the game displayed a unity of purpose and a level of commitment that allowed the range of skills this young Derry team possess to be showcased in scoring a must get try that will live long in the memory of players and supporters.
Nenagh started the game all guns blazing on a tacky pitch that was going to sap energy all afternoon. Nenagh missed an early penalty and pressure saw Derry wing forward Tom Patton sin binned on four minutes and a cross field kick to their winger from another kickable penalty was overcooked and went dead. Derry cleared their lines from the kick off and great driving play by the outstanding Stephen Ferguson brought play to the Nenagh 22. Two quick penalties to Derry on eight and ten minutes for holding allowed Richard McCarter to give Derry a 6pts to Nil lead with the Nenagh centre Trevor Connolly going to the bin for the last offence.
The two teams were back to their full complement of players after twenty minutes and good play by Nenagh gave them extra numbers on the left wing and their big South African winger Ger Harmse got in for an unconverted try to leave the scores 6pts to 5pts for Derry. Derry were playing all the quality rugby in the first half and maybe there were playing too much rugby instead of varying their game to kick in behind the defence. The physicality of the Derry pack was upped several notches from previous weeks with Bob McKillop and David Houston scrapping for every ball. The front row was solid all through and were lead by Captain Sam McAuley who got outstanding support form props Chris Shields and Sam Duffy.
The Derry back row were outplaying their opposite numbers. Tom Patton was having his best game for some time at open side wing forward and with strong physical tackling from Stephen Corr at blindside it allowed Stephen Ferguson the opportunity to make some strong runs that caused consternation in the home defence as men were swatted away like flies. The Derry pressure saw the home captain and loose head prop Mick Kennedy binned on thirty five minutes. The extra man was exploited immediately by Derry when Ferguson drove forward 30 meters into the Nenagh 22 and quick ball by scrum half Andrew Semple allowed Richard McCarter time and space to spot the gap and ghost in for a well worked unconverted try to have Derry leading at the break by 11pts to 5pts.
Nenagh started the second half with a strong wind advantage and were on the scoreboard within three minutes with an unconverted try from Shane O’Callaghan to reduce the arrears to 11pts to 10pt for Derry. The game ebbed and flowed for the next thirty minutes with great defence form Derry, the Derry midfield of David Funston and Ryan Campbell put their bodies on the line and out muscled their opposite backline to drive them back on many occasions. Simon Logue and Josh Lewis along with full back Pieter Henderson produced many telling tackles that epitomised the determination to succeed by Derry.
Nenagh got in for a converted try on thirty minutes when a miss tackle form Derry allowed their full back Steve Carey in for a try which was converted by David Delaney to leave Derry trailing by 11pts to 17pts. Derry upped their game and Man of the Match Richard McCarter was back to his best making some searing breaks that sliced open the Nenagh defence. McCarter produced another telling break on thirty five minutes getting in behind the defensive line where he found Josh Lewis on the left wing who drew his man before passing inside for Simon Logue to score an unconverted try that had Derry still trailing by 16pts to 17pts.
The game was deep in injury time when Derry produced their Houdini act following a scrum on the half way line. Every man on the pitch was involved including Stephen Duffy who had come on for Chris Shields, Duffy had several ball carries. Richard McCarter directed the movement pulling the string one way and then another. McCarter eventually found Richard Baird who had come on for Ferguson, Baird took the ball forward to setup a ruck and Semple quickly passed to Simon Logue who found Peter Henderson on the outside to score a memorable try which was converted by McCarter for a deserved Derry victory by 23pts to 17pts.
City of Derry Team: : Chris Shields, Sam McAuley, Sam Duffy, Bob McKillop, David Houston, Stephen Corr, Tom Pattton, Stephen Ferguson, Andrew Semple, Richard McCarter, Josh Lewis, Ryan Campbell, David Funston, Simon Logue, Peter Henderson. Replacements: Stephen Duffy, Chris Cooper, Richard Baird, Stephen Simms, Richard Peoples.
