City if Derry U19’s winning form continued with a big 40 points to nil victory over Larne in the Cup Qualifiers at a sun drenched Judges Rd.
The game was only 4 mins old when the Derry side scored their first points of the contest, after receiving the kick off play was driven deep in to the visitors half and after a series of good rucks the ball was moved out to prop Ciaran Allen who took the ball at speed and crashed through a few tackles to score to the left of the posts, the conversion was missed.
Larne were stung in to action and their big forwards were taking ball at the home side and making life difficult enough for the youngsters but when the Derry pack turned over Larne ball on their own 22 and a clever chip from scrumhalf David Devine in behind the opposition found space, there was only going to one outcome.
The ball was secured by winger Ian Bratton and was recycled quickly along the line where outside centre William Knox showed the visitors a clean pair of heels to sprint clear, the wide conversion was successful bye outhalf Richard Keys. The Derry team were finding it difficult to hold on to the ball in contact and countless mistakes meant that they were putting themselves under pressure at times, needlessly! Good ball was secured however once again and it was used effectively through the phases and some good continuity in the rucks meant that a quick ball was moved to captain Ryan Spratt who crashed over out wide on the left, again the kick was good by outhalf Keys who was to go on to have a great day with the boot. With 15 mins gone and the score at 19 – nil it looked as if the home side were going to run away with it but the visitors were made of sterner stuff. The Larne team to a man stuck at it and indeed took the game to Derry at every opportunity and forced a number of mistakes but could not find the breakthrough they needed. After a good period of play territory was gained and the home side had a scrum on the Larne 22m line, a rehearsed move worked well with dangerous full back Jamie Devine hitting the line between the centres and ran in untouched for a great team try which was again converted by Keys. This brought the half time score to 26 points to nil in favour of the home side. At half time it was reinforced the need to retain the ball and not give it away so easily and put yourself under so much pressure.
For the first 8 mins or so of the second half Larne came out with all guns blazing but after a spell of incessant pressure where Derry’s defence held firm with the back row of Doherty, Henderson and Porter to the fore, the ball was turned over and the pressure was relieved. This lifted the home side and they went on the attack and after centre Conall Doherty won possession in midfield he showed his full array of stepping and handing off to make it to the line for in a fine individual try which was converted by that man Keys again. The foot again came off the pedal and the mistakes and indiscipline crept in to the game and Larne were allowed of the hook on a few occasions when pressure could have been applied! The forwards were winning the majority of the lineouts and were comfortable in the scrums and the change of personnel in the front row with hooker Mark Boyd departing to be replaced by the man mountain that is Manus McLaughlin, did nothing to disrupt the rhythm of the game. The backs were also on top with good defence in the centres and the back three looked dangerous all day with the pace they possess, the half backs were running the show well with scrumhalf Devine finding his partner Keys well. The final score was to come from another period of good pressure form the forwards up the blind side, a scrum was awarded after the ball was held up over the line. A mention must go to the build up to the scrum in that after a great break at pace towards the line from Conall Doherty was switched inside at pace to full back Jamie Devine the support was there to drive the man and ball over the line but just could not ground the ball! Another training ground move was called from the resultant 5m scrum and the ball was moved quickly where the ever alert Richard Keys saw the gap between the defenders and cruised through to score and convert his own try. This brought the final score to 40 points to nil and the Larne team asked that the game be blown up some 5 mins early as it had ended as a contest.
It was a great game in places with everything working well but again some handling errors cost the team a few scores and better attacking platforms from which to work but this can be worked on at training.
In the forwards the front five worked well as a unit and the back three maurauded well all afternoon with the pickoff the forwards being big Cillian Doherty who carried well and was tireless in defence and attack! The backs played well with the patterns being stuck to and the training ground moves being executed well, the defence was good in the centre and the open field running was always causing problems with the pace of the back three a constant threat. This week however the Man of the Match goes to outhalf Richard Keys for his assured display of game awareness and his almost faultless display of kicking, both from hand and of the ground which meant the team kept going forward and he picked up a personal tally of 15 points.
