It was “Hans Christian Anderson” stuff all over again at City of Derry Rugby Club on Saturday last when the “Incredible thing happened” this time in All Ireland League Division 2A. Derry were two scores and eight points behind Galway Corinthians as forty minutes in the second half were up but two unconverted try’s later the Judges Road men were in front as the referee blew the final whistle with the winning try coming from the last play of the game. Derry were in control thirteen points ahead with fifteen minutes to go but three converted try’s in ten minutes from the Galway men seemed to have decided the game as everyone at Judges Road had resigned themselves to an away victory.
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This Derry team have self belief, confidence and commitment to one another that has been ingrained in their DNA over the last few seasons by their Coaches and as they proved again on Saturday the impossible is always possible when a collective ambition of wanting to win is the goal of all. Corinthians thought along with most people on Saturday that they had won the game at time ebbed away and the Derry supporters had thought their team were beaten as they headed towards the gate or the bar. They all probably did not know that the two sets of players were playing a game agreed between themselves that the last try scored was the winner when the referee blew the final whistle.
Derry started the game with the advantage of a strong cross filled breeze on a dry but very cold day last Saturday. The early sparring was fairly even but Derry were first on the scoreboard through second row Brian Prue, Richard McCarter set up centre Chris Barber to make the break to carry play inside the Corinthians 22 and when he passed Prue did the rest with support from his pack to touch down in the corner and Derry were up by 5pts. The alarm bells were ringing very early that there were going to be many opportunities to score for both teams as first up tackling was poor and sometimes non existent.
Derry lost a line out on their throw in their half on ten minutes and Corinthians setup a rolling maul with Mark Byrne and Ultan Dillane prominent and it was no surprise when hooker Kevin O’Byrne touched down for an unconverted try and it was 5pts all. Tom Patton almost got through for Derry on sixteen minutes but was brought back for a forward pass. Corinthians were on the scoreboard two minutes later when a miss tackle in midfield allowed scrum half Steve Bruce to break through and link up with his two centres firstly Captain Finn Gormley who passed to James Buckley who touched down between the posts for a try converted by out half Mick O’Flynn and Corinthians were ahead by 12pts to 5pts.
Chris Barber reduced the deficit with a penalty from 30 meters on twenty five minutes.The Derry forwards were getting on top with their front row of Chris Shields, Sam McAuley and Paul McFeely playing well in the set pieces and in the loose. David Houston was lording the lineout’s along with Tom Patton which was giving the Derry backs quality ball. Derry were in the lead on thirty minutes when Simon Logue touched down for an unconverted try. The pack did the hard yards with Brian Brue, Adam Bratton and Stephen Corr making strong drives before Peter Henderson released Logue to touch down and Derry were ahead by 13pts to 12pts which they took to the break.
Derry Coaches went to the bench at half time when Bob McKillop made a welcome return for the first team. Richard Peoples was also on and with these two changes Derry had the physical edge. Corinthians lost Mark Byrne to the bin on two minutes for persistent off side. Derry increased their lead on five minutes, Corinthians won a Derry lineout on the own 22 and the ball was tapped down but players from both sides were unable to control it as if it was too hot to handle. The ball found its way to the posts and Ryan Campbell pounced on it to control and roll over to touch it at the base of the post for a try which was converted by Barber Derry lead by 20pts to 12pts.
Gareth Beattie came on at prop for Derry and helped produce a powerful scrum to win ball against the head on eighteen minutes and quick ball from Andrew Semple to Peter Henderson at pace and a chip fom 30 meters out over the defence saw Simon Logue speed in to win the touchdown for a magnificent unconverted try and Derry were well on top 25pts to 12pts in front.
The game took a dramatic swing on twenty six minutes when loose Derry tackling allowed Corinthians centre James Buckley to make a great break in midfield and get in for a try which was converted by Mick O’Flynn and Derry’d lead was back to 25pts to 19pts. The pendulum had now definitely swung in the direction of Galway as the west was wide awake with their supporters in buoyant mood. Corinthians were in front five minutes later when another misfired break allowed Finn Gormley in for a try converted by O’Flynn and they lead by 26pts to 25pts.
Corinthians broke again in midfield on thirty five minutes and it looked like a knock on but the referee Gary Conway who had an excellent game was correct in that it had hit James Buckley on the knee and he picked up to touch down by the posts for a try which O’Flynn converted and it looked like game up for Derry as Corinthians lead by 33pts to 25pts.
Derry were not to be denied and they rolled their sleeves and went to work as only they know how to dismantle a possible overconfident Corinthians team at that time. They had just entered injury time and the Derry pack took charge and changed from a running game to a pick and drive style of play and immediately following great work from Shields, Corr, Bratton, Houston and Man of the Match Brian Prue they got Cathal Cregan in for an unconverted try and they were only 33pts to 30pts in arrears.
Derry came straight back from the kick off and with Peoples and Semple to the fore the won a penalty 35 meters out to the left with four minutes of injury time gone. The option was to try and take a shot and level the game but Captain Peter Henderson asked Richard McCarter to kick to the corner. He duly obliged and fortune favoured the brave as Houston won the throw to setup a fifteen phase pick and drive series of play on the Corinthians line. The Derry pack knocked on the door and were almost in on a few occasions but eventually with space created out wide McCarter found David Graham on the wing and he powered in for an unconverted try and the referee blew the final whistle to wild scenes of jubilation both on and off the pitch as Derry had sealed victory by 35pts to 33pts.
City of Derry Team V Corinthians; Chris Shields, Sam McAuley, Paul McFeely, David Houston, Brian Prue, Adam Bratton, Tom Patton, Stephen Corr, Andrew Semple, Richard McCarter, Simon Logue, Ryan Campbell, Chris Barber, David Graham, Peter Henderson, Replacements; Cathal Cregan, Gareth Beattie, Steven Jefferson, Bob McKillop, Richard Peoples.
