City of Derry Rugby Club continued their successful return to the Ulster Senior League with another victory against Belfast Harlequins at home on Saturday last. The game ebbed and flowed throughout and Harlequins asked many questions of this young Derry sides resolve especially after they fell ten points behind as the first half progressed.
When winning becomes a habit and the norm for a team the impossible always seems obtainable. Derry came back in style and forced their higher rated opponents to throw caution to the wind and to score a late converted try to get within a point of Bevan Lynch’s side.
City of Derry started brightly and a good kick from Richard McCarter in the first five minutes took Derry inside Harlequins 22 metre line and when Philip Brady won good line-out ball the Derry forwards produced a great drive that allowed the outstanding prop David Witherow to score a real forwards try which was converted by Richard McCarter.
Belfast Harlequins came back into the game on 12 minutes when McCarter was caught in possession in the opposition half. Quins centre Blake Knox collected and was able to run 70 metres to score an unconverted try to leave the score 7pts to 5 pts in Derry’s favour. Harlequins had got themselves back in the game and on 20 minutes Miles O’Hagan made a good break from midfield and swapped passes with Mike Allen before off loading to Stewart who scored another unconverted try leaving Derry trailing by 7pts to 10pts.
Harlequins increased their lead on 29 minutes when Stewart got in for his second try after a flowing move down the right side which came after Derry got their possession turned over, Stewart convert to make it Derry 7pts Harlequins 17pts. Derry reduced the arrears on the stroke of half time when Quins were penalised for stopping Andrew Semple taking a quick penalty. Derry took the scrum. Stephen Ferguson made a great break from No 8 and when stopped short he offloaded to Stephen Corr to score a converted try to make the half time score 17pts to 14 pts in Harlequins favour.
The second half started badly for Derry when they were penalised in a scrum and Stewart converted to increase Quins lead to 20pts to 14pts. Derry won possession from the kick-off through Simon Logue who found McCarter who made a great break beating three players before finding full back Peter Henderson who scored a terrific try which McCarter converted to get Derry back in front by 21pts to 20pts.
Derry received a setback on 56 minutes when wing forward Tom Patton was taken from the pitch with a neck injury which resulted in a lengthy stoppage. Harlequins got back on the scoreboard on 63 minutes when following a scrum Pyper made a break which resulted in a try which Stewart converted to retain the lead for Adam Larkin’s team on a score of 27pts to 21pts
Derry immediately returned to the attack when the forwards took control and after prolonged pressure Stephen Corr was held up when he drove for the line but Andrew Simple was on hand to score a converted try to put Derry back in front by 28pts to 27pts with 10 minutes remaining. City of Derry showed their new found physicality up front on 75 minutes when driving play resulted in over 8 phases that took them from their own half to inside the Harlequins 22, Andrew was held up short of the line and Man of the Match David Witherow was on hand to score a memorable try which McCarter converted to give Derry a 35pts to 27pts lead.
Derry were now in control with time running out but they allowed Harlequins to turn over possession inside their own 22. Quins used possession wisely and following a good drive their prop Morton scored a try which Stewart converted to leave the final score 35pts to 34pts in Derry’s favour. Derry Coach Bevan Lynch said after the game “I was not happy with our performance overall, we had a video of the game taken today and it will reveal a multitude. We have a lot of hard work to do over the next four weeks to get to where we want to be by the time the All Ireland League comes around”.
