City of Derry RFC 7pts, Dungannon 3pts
Match Report by; Moss Dineen
City of Derry Rugby Club travelled to Stevenson Park, Dungannon on Saturday last to take on the Co Tyrone Club in the Q/Final of the Ulster Senior Cup and came away with a narrow but well deserved victory. The Judges Road men will go into the Cup S/Final draw this week along with Queens, Ballynahinch and Banbridge who all won on Saturday and the S/Finals will be played on Saturday the 16th November 2013.
The game on Saturday last was never going to be a walk in the park for Derry similar to their Ulster League Fixture 76pts to Nil annihilation of Dungannon the previous weekend at Judges Road. The Gannon men were hurting having surrendered and capitulated without a shot being fired similar to the Austrian Army’s surrender to Napoleon at Ulm in 1805 when 27,000 men gave in without a fight.
Dungannon Coach Paddy Johns made eight changes to his team for Saturday with a completely new back row and James Bates coming in at scrum half and Club President the experienced Paul Magee coming into the centre. Dungannon started the game with some intent bringing physicality to their play especially at the breakdown that was missing the previous weekend. The early pressure and territory was all in Gannon’s favour and they were rewarded with a penalty after 5 minutes, Chris Henderson converted from 20 metres in front of the posts.
The first 20 minutes belonged to Dungannon though their aggressive play at times was bordering on the illegal as Adam Bratton was catapulted from a maul with a blow to the head from a player making a late entry. Then Derry out half Neil Burns was felled with a very late tackle when making a clearance inside his own 22. City of Derry Coaches Mark Nicholl and Ashley Blair will be proud of their players who never reacted to the intimidation bestowed upon them but they came to Stevenson Park to play rugby and this they continued do to the end of the game.
Derry eventually overcame the initial Dugannon onslaught and the last 20 minutes of the first half saw them play the game in the Dungannon half. Derry were dominating the scrums with Stephen Jefferson, Cathal Creggan and Sam Duffy a solid front row well supported by David Houston and Chris Cooper in the line outs. Stephen Corr, Man of the Match Richard Baird and Johnny Lyons were now carrying ball at every opportunity and with Dungannon infringing the penalty count was 30 to 5 for Derry at half time, they lost Paul Jackson to the sin bin on the stroke of half time which saw Dungannon ahead by 3pts to nil.
The weather deteriorated at half time with heavy incessant rain throughout the second half and a good breeze in Derry’s favour. Derry completely dominated the half with Dungannon only getting out of their own half on the blow of full time with a penalty kick just getting inside the Derry half. Derry threw everything at Dungannon with Adam Bratton, Captain David Funston and Chris Barber carrying ball straight through the middle on numerous occasions but the Gannon defence held firm. Derry brought on David Ferguson at Hooker and Stephen Ferguson to the back row and their presence increased the Derry attacking options as half backs Andrew Semple and Neil Burns controlled the game.
The tackle count from Dungannon was mounting as Derry tried to punch a hole in the middle of the home defence and the Judges Road men were drawn into an arm wrestle. Derry were one dimensional in their attacking as they were lacking the nous and direction to vary their play with a kicking option or moving the play to the wide channels. Derry eventually scored from pressure with three scrums in a row on 20 minutes and eventually a No 8 pickup produced ball for Andrew Semple to find Simon Logue out on the left to run in unchallenged to dot down for a try and with Neil burns kicking a great conversion Derry were deservedly in front by 7pts to 3pts.
It looked like the floodgates would open at this stage of the game and a thirty point beating of Dungannon was on the cards but with the weather deteriorating and a never say die attitude from the home team further scoring was not possible. Dungannon lost another man to the sin bin after 28 minutes but Derry were happy to camp in the Dungannon half and see the game out as Dungannon never posed a threat and they spent the second half fire fighting to even stay in the game. Mark Nicholl will be happy with this physical challenge as he prepares his charges for another two games in the All Ireland League over the next two weekends starting at home next Saturday against unbeaten Naas with a 2.30pm Kick-off at Judges Road.
City of Derry RFC Team V Dungannon: Chris Barber, Simon Logue, David Funston, Adam Bratton, Josh Lewis, Neil Burns, Andrew Semple, Stephen Jefferson, Cathal Cregan, Sam Duffy, David Houston, Chris Cooper, Stephen Corr, Jonny Lyons, Richard Baird. Replacements; David Ferguson, Chris Shields, Stephen Ferguson, Adam Parke, Ryan Campbell.
