City of Derry Rugby Club welcomed Malone to Judges Road on Saturday last with high hopes of victory on home soil that would still keep alive the chance of finishing second in the league and automatic promotion to All Ireland League Division 1B next season. Malone’s ambition was the same as Derry’s because victory for them would also keep their chances of promotion alive. The two teams met at the same venue in the Ulster League just before Christmas and the home side had a convincing win by 25pts to 7pts. Derry had gone ten games unbeaten in the interim period even without hitting top form recently but were still hopeful of a performance that would be good enough to see off Malone.
Malone were the better team on Saturday and ran out convincing winners by three converted try’s and a penalty to one converted try. The teams were level at 7pts all at half time and it looked anyone’s game but Derry lost a man to the sin bin after eleven minutes of the second half and within a minute they had conceded a seven pointer and the tide had turned in Malone’s favor. Derry never gave up but hard as they tried they were never able to muster a serious threat to Malone’s supremacy for the remainder of the game.
The conditions at Judges Road on Saturday were perfect for rugby and with the largest crowd of the year in attendance there was a buzz of excitement around the ground. The early pressure came from Derry but they were unable to register anything on the scoreboard. Malone eventually played themselves into the game and were unlucky with a penalty shot after ten minutes when the ball hit a post. The Belfast men were firing on all cylinders and it took a last ditch tackle from Derry full back Peter Henderson to save a certain try a minute later. Pressure told for Malone when good play from backs and forwards after twelve minutes allowed their impressive centre Johnny Burgess in for a try which Josh Pentland converted and Malone lead by 7pts to nil.
Derry missed a penalty shot on fifteen minutes and Malone did the same three minutes later. Malone were well on top with sustained pressure and their confidence was high but Derry defended as if their lives depended on it with David Funston and Ryan Campbell outstanding along with Bob McKillop, Stephan Corr and Chris Shields. Derry made a tactical change on twenty six minutes moving Simon Logue to Scrum Half and Andrew Semple to out half. The Derry scrum was dominant all day with Chris Shields, Sam McAuley and Sam Duffy in the front row ably supported by Bob McKillop and Chris Cooper returning from a long injury. Derry probably should have capitalized more from this superiority at scrum time but it was not to be.
Malone were awarded a kickable penalty on twenty nine minutes but their confidence was their downfall, they elected to take a quick tap and run the ball which Derry turned over immediately. Chris Barber pounced on loose ball and broke two tackles on a 40 meter run from his own half before he found Colin Mitchell 30 meters from the Malone line, he offloaded to William McCleery who sprinted in for a great try and with Andrew Semple converting it was 7pts all which was still the score at the half time break.
The first ten minutes of the second half started like the first half with all the possession and pressure coming from Derry. The turning point came on eleven minutes when David Funston was harshly sin binned for a late tackle as Malone tried to clear their lines inside their own 22 meter line. Malone won the resulting lineout from the penalty and two phases later they ran the ball along the back line and that man again Johnny Burgess got in for a try out on the left and when Pentland converted Malone lead by 14pts to 7pts.
The Belfast men were well on top now and Derry found it hard to make an impression. Pentland added a penalty on twenty five minutes and Malone’s lead was 17pts to 7pts. Derry never gave up but that spark that was needed to ignite a comeback never materialized and when Malone got in for another try after thirty six minutes courtesy of winger Michael Barker which Pentland converted it was game over and a deserved win for Malone by 24pts to 7pts.
City of Derry Team V Malone Chris Shields, Sam McAuley, Sam Duffy, Bob McKillop, Chris Cooper, Stephen Corr, Richard Baird, Stephen Ferguson, Andrew Semple, Richard Peoples, Chris Barber, Ryan Campbell, David Funston, William McCleery, Peter Henderson. Replacements; Gareth Beattie, Stephen Duffy, Colin Mitchell, Adam Bratton, Simon Logue.
