City of Derry RFC 32pts, Rainey OB 21pts
Following three weeks of inactivity due to weather conditions City of Derry Rugby Club and Rainey OB finally locked horns to complete their All Ireland League Division 2B at Judges Road on Saturday last. City of Derry got themselves in front with a try from David Graham after five minutes and went on to score another three try’s from Aly Beckett, Neil Burns and David Funston to record a bonus point victory. The Judges Road men are now nine points clear at the top of the league ahead of Greystones in second place at the half way point of the season.
The weather was good on Saturday with a cross field breeze blowing to the clubhouse on an unseasonal warm afternoon. Derry were on fire from the off and with the backline led by out half Richard McCarter clicking into sync straight away. Derry full back Aly Beckett and wingers Simon Logue and David Graham were getting on the ball and looking dangerous. Beckett broke down the left on five minutes and quick ruck ball saw scrum half Andrew Semple finding McCarter to set his backline in motion and quick hands moved the ball quickly to winger David Graham to touch down for an unconverted try in the corner and Derry were in front by 5pts to nil.
Rainey got a long range penalty as Derry went off side on eight minutes and full back Josh McIlroy reduced the deficit to 5pts to 3pts. The Derry back row were outstanding all afternoon with John Burns giving a Man of the Match performance as he was brilliant in the loose and at the breakdown and with Steven Dickey and Stephen Corr having their best games of the season this dynamic trio were carrying ball for fun. Burns combined with McCarter after fifteen minutes and when Burns made the incisive break Semple was on it like lightning to send Aly Beckett in for a try and when Neil Burns converted Derry were in front by 12pts to 3pts.
The Derry scrum with Rory Squires, Captain David Ferguson and Sam Duffy had the upper hand all afternoon with support from second rowers Adam Bratton and Chris Cooper. The home teams midfield defence was solid with Stuart Simpson and Neil Burns producing some big tackles when required. Derry were well on top and confirmed their superiority with the try of the game after twenty nine minutes. The Derry pack were taking the ball forward over the half way line and John Burns was taken out of the game with an illegal tackle and Raniey’s wing forward Rory Winters was sent to the sin bin. McCarter kicked the penalty to touch just inside the Rainey 22, good line out once more from Chris Cooper and when Semple found Richard McCarter in midfield he produced an exquisite dummy to allow Stephen Corr to break in behind the defence. Corr found prop Ross Harkin who had just come on and he passed to Neil Burns who had an easy run in for a try under the posts and he converted to give Derry a 19pts to 3pts lead.
Derry seemed all day to take their foot off the gas once they had scored and let Rainey back in the game instead of going for the juggler. Rainey got some possession in the Derry half and Josh McIlroy converted two penalties on thirty three and thirty six minutes to get Rainey back in the game at 19pts to 9ots down. Derry came back on the attack with good play from David Ferguson who is playing consistently well every week. The Judges Road men were on the attack once more as the first half entered the final minute. Derry were turned over inside the Rainey half and the Magherafelt men broke out of their own half with Jody McMurray making the decisive break to let out half Gavin Martin touch down between the posts for a try and with McIlroy converting Rainey were right back in the game at half time just 19pts to 16pts down.
Derry got the start they wanted to the second half as they quashed any momentum gained by Rainey from their try just before the break. The forwards produced in spades as the two second rows combine to setup up captain by David Ferguson for a try. David Houston carried the ball from his own half well into Rainey territory and when stopped 30 meters out Chris Cooper was there to continue the move fending off a few tacklers before offloading to Captain Ferguson in support to touch down by the posts and with Neil Burns converting Derry were 26pts to 6pts ahead but more importantly Rainey were grievously wounded.
Derry were well in control and Neil Burns kicked a big penalty on fifty eight minutes for a 29pts to 16pts lead. Rainey to their credit had a right go at Derry on sixty five minutes as they attacked inside the home teams 22. Three scrums in a row that collapsed saw the Referee sending Sam Duffy to the sin bin as Derry were now under pressure. Rainey went for a 5 meter line out as they attacked the Derry line, great disciplined defence from Derry saw Craig Huey snaffling up loose ball on the ground to stem the tide. Rainey were throwing everything at Derry and Darren Corrigan scored an unconverted try from a catch and drive at a lineout 5 meters out and Rainey were behind by 29pts to 21pts. Andrew Semple was kicking beautifully out of hand as Derry played the last ten minutes in the Rainey half. Neil Burns kicked a great penalty on seventy seven minutes and Derry were leading by 32pts to 21pts a lead they took to full time for a well-deserved victory.
City of Derry RFC Team V Rainey OB; Rory Squires, David Ferguson, Sam Duffy, Adam Bratton, Chris Cooper, Steven Dickey,, John Burns, Stephen Corr, Andrew Semple, Richard McCarter, Simon Logue, Stuart Simpson, Neil Burns, David Graham, Ali Beckett, Replacements; Ross Harkin, Cathal Cregan, David Houston, Craig Huey, David Funston.
