City of Derry RFC 30pts, Naas 14pts Match Report by; Moss Dineen
City of Derry Rugby Club continued their good run of form when they recorded a four try bonus point victory over unbeaten Naas in All Ireland League Division 2A on Saturday last at Judges Road. This win keeps Derry unbeaten at the top of the league a position they share with Ballymena also unbeaten who defeated Queens in Belfast at the weekend by 15pts to 12pts.
The conditions at Judges Road on Saturday were atrocious in the first half with heavy rain and a strong cross field breeze but it brightened up in the second half as the standard of rugby went up a notch. The game was in the balance at 15pts to 14pts for Derry midway through the second half with Naas missing a certain try when their winger spilled the ball as he was about to touch down with no one near him. That mistake was costly as eight minutes and two try’s later Derry were out of sight with fifteen unanswered points and a bonus point in the bag and more importantly with the opposition having to score three times to win.
Nass started the game strongly and were three points up after David Ahearn kicked a penalty from 30 metres after the home team were caught off side. Derry started to get some decent position but missed a reasonable penalty shot on six minutes. The Derry front row of Chris Sields, David Ferguson and Sam Duffy looked strong in early exchanges and they along with David Houston and Stephen Corr in the second row had the Naas scrum under severe pressure going backwards.
Derry won a penalty on the half way line and kicked for touch to take play 30 meters from the Nass line. David Ferguson found Richard Baird who caught and drove forward powerfully and with Adam Bratton and Stephen Corr cleaning our at ruck time 20 meters out quick ball inside the 22 had Andy Semple on it like a flash. Semple found his half back partner Richard McCarter who linked with David Houston on his shoulder and he beat two men before offloading to Captain David Funston for a great team try and McCatter converted for a 7pts to 3 lead for the Judges Road men.
Naas got some decent possession and were able to reduce the arrears on fourteen minutes when Ahern obliged with another penalty from 20 meters and Derry’s lead was 7pts to 6pts. The Derry back row of Adam Bratton, Stephen Corr and Stephen Ferguson were outstanding all afternoon as they carried ball powerfully at every opportunity and had the Nass defence working overtime to keep them in check. Stephen Ferguson produced a dynamic driving run beating a couple of men and taking four men out of the game to bring him down after seventeen minutes but all his good work came to nothing.
Adam Bratton latched onto an overthrow by Nass in a lineout on twenty five minutes and carried ball like a man inspired into the heart of the Naas defence. He was hauled down 25meters out and Naas came in from the side, McCarter converted the resultant penalty and Derry were in front by 10pts to 6pts. Ryan Campbell replaced the injured William McCleery. Naas had made a late change to their formation before the game when they moved the experienced former Clontarf player Daragh O’Shea from centre to out half. O’Shea had an outstanding game and was central to everything good that came from Naas. He produced an exquisite cross field kick on thirty five minutes to link with winger Jonny Delaney and find Derry napping as Delaney touched down for a try wide out left to put his team in front by 11pts to 10pts.
Derry finished the half strongly and when they were awarded a penalty on thirty eight minutes McCarter kicked for touch to take play inside the Naas 22. David Houston won the line out and with his forwards producing a great drive and ruck, Andy Semple cleared up quickly and Richard Baird was on hand to touch down for an unconverted try and Derrry’s lead at half time was 15pts to 11pts.
The early pressure in the second half came from Derry and good drives from Duffy, Corr and David Ferguson should have produced a try but Naas somehow kept their line intact. Naas got themselves into the Derry half and Ahern kicked another penalty on seven minutes to reduce the deficit to 15pts to 14pts. Paul McFeely came on for Sam Duffy after fifteen minutes and was immediately in the game carrying ball and tackling.
Naas had that chance to change the game after seventeen minutes when O’Shea once again had the vision to spot winger Jeff Delaney unmarked and with a 40 metre cross field kick he had a clear run in to score but he spilled the ball as he was about to touch down for a try. The spark that ignited Derry and took the team to a different level of performance came from Simon Logue on twenty minutes. Naas kicked loose ball out of defence to find Logue in the full back position 20 metres inside his own half, in a flash he seemed to be running into traffic but with a faint and two sidesteps Logue was clear and heading inside the Naas 22 only to be hauled down 15 metres out and when Naas went offside McCarter kicked and easy penalty and Derry were ahead by 18pts to 14pts.
Chris Cooper replaced Adam Bratton. Derry were suddenly on fire and it was all out attack as Man of the Match Stephen Ferguson produced a bullocking run on twenty five minutes to fend off four would be tacklers and off load to Chris Barber in support to stroll in majestically and touch down between the post for a try and when McCarter converted Derry were in the lead by 25pts to 14 pts. Sam McAuley was brought from the bench along with Neil Burns.
The try of the game came three minutes later when David Houston picked up ball in his own half and fed Richard McCarter who in return took two players out with a pass to Simon Logue and he released winger Josh Lewis on the half way line. Lewis showed outstanding pace to beat two men and then with a sidestep inside the cover he passed to Stephen Corr in support to score a great wing forwards try which was unconverted but Derry out of sight at 30pts to 14pts a lead they kept intact to the end.
City of Derry RFC Team V Naas: William McCleery, Simon Logue, David Funston, Chris Barber, Josh Lewis, Richard McCarter, Andy Semple, Chris Shields, David Ferguson, Sam Duffy, David Houston, Stephen Corr, Adam Bratton, Richard Baird, Stephen Ferguson. Replacements; Sam McAuley, Paul McFeely, Chris Cooper, Ryan Campbell, Neil Burns.
