City of Derry Rugby Club travelled to Co Wicklow on Saturday to play Greystones in their All Ireland League Fixture and came away with a hard fought victory which looked out of reach for most of the game as the Judges Road men struggled to produce their recent good form. The game went ahead after a pitch inspection on Friday afternoon as the ground was waterlogged on Thursday night and with N11 closed due to flooding for most of Friday it was a surprise when the news came through that the game was to go ahead.
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The pitch was in perfect condition come game time with a strong cross field drying wind although bitterly cold. Greystones considering their position of second from bottom of the league table came out all guns blazing from the off and were well stoked up for this fixture by their Coach Reggie Corrigan. The first twenty minutes were owned by the Wicklow men as Derry found it hard to get their hands on the ball. The Derry mindset seemed to be that they had convinced themselves on Friday that the fixture would not happen and they struggled to switch on to the task in hand.
The Greystones out half Andrew Kealy controlled the game early with good line kicking on the back of quality ball from his dominant pack as he kept the scoreboard ticking over. The home team seemed to get a crucial penalty each time the got within kicking distance and Kealy added three penalties for offside infringements on three, eight and eighteen minutes to confirm Greystones dominance as the first quarter ended with a 9pts to nil lead.
The Derry scrum was dominant throughout with Stephen Jefferson, Sam McAuley and Sam Duffy in the front row having the upper hand on their opponents supported by Chris Cooper and Stephen Corr in the second row. Derry played themselves back into the game and from a solid scrum in their own half Jack Caithness found full back Simon Logue who made a great run deep into the Greystones half and when stopped Greystones went off side at the breakdown. Richard McCarter kicked the resultant penalty from 35 meters and in the process reduced the deficit to 9pts to 3pts with twenty seven minutes gone.
Derry were caught off side again when Greystones got into the red zone on thirty two minutes and Kealy kicked a penalty from 30 meters and the home side were in front by 12pts to 3pts. Derry’s first up tackling was passive as was their work at the breakdown and Gerestones were once again back in the Derry half on thirty two minutes. Greystones won a scrum 30 meters from the Derry line and quick ball allowed their scrum half Roddy Carroll to chip behind the Derry defence, their wing forward Alan Dempsey touched down wide out for an unconverted try and a 17prs to 3pts lead for the home team.
Derry Coach Mark Nicholl brought Chris Shields on at loose head prop for Jefferson. Derry eventually got a period of possession in the Greystones half as the clock sped towards half time. Derry won a 5 meter scrum on the Greystones line as the first half entered injury time. The pack produced when required with four dominant scrums in a row which were collapsed from pressure by Greystones and on the fifth infringement the referee awarded a penalty try. Richard McCarter converted and Derry got to the break 17pts to 10pts down.
Greystones again started the second Half the better and misses a kickable penalty after two minutes. The penalty count against Derry was well up the teens at this stage and Greystones kicked a penalty into the corner to setup real pressure after ten minutes. Continual Derry infringement saw Chris Cooper sent to the sin bin and Kealy kicked the resultant penalty for a 20pts to 10pts lead after thirteen minutes. Peter Henderson came on for Simon Logue at full back and David Ferguson came on for Sam McAuley at hooker.
Greystones missed another kickable penalty after eighteen minutes. Paul McFeely came on for Derry to replace Sam Duffy and as the game entered the final quarter the Judges Road men suddenly clicked into gear and began to perform. The back row of Stephen Ferguson, Richard Baird and Tom Patton were carrying ball to make holes in the Greystones defence. David Funston, Ryan Campbell, Chris Barber and William McCleery were eventually getting quality ball which allowed Jack Caithness and Richard McCarter an opportunity to influence the game.
Stephen Ferguson looked a big man in the second row and played like a big man, he was Derry’s most consistent player all afternoon giving a Man of the Match performance. Derry won a line out through Chris Cooper outside the Greystones 22 after twenty four minutes. Stephen Ferguson took the ball forward once more allowing David Ferguson to make a good break up the left wing. The ball was recycled and Richard Baird got in for a try which was converted by Richard McCarter and Derry were right back in the game at 17pts to 20pts down and game on. David Ferguson again made a great run to show incredible pace on twenty seven minutes and it almost resulted in a try. Simon Logue came back on at Scrum half for Jack Caithness and David Graham came on for William McCleery on the wing.
Derry won a penalty on thirty minutes which was kickable 30 meters out but they decided to kick to the corner and go for the juggler. Cooper won the line out and Derry drove for the line, three infringements later and Greystones had their tight head prop Bobby Clancy sent to the bin. There was a hold up in play as Greystones through substitutions had manufactured a situation where the game had to go to uncontested scrums and deny Derry a push over try with such a dominant scrum.
Fortune favoured the brave and Derry were not to be denied as Richard Baird got in to touch down for a try from the uncontested scrum and with McCarter converting Derry were in front for the first time by 24pts to 20pts. Greystones had no more to offer and Derry dominated the final ten minutes of the game which saw David Graham just bundled into touch just short of the line in the last play of the game when a try would have given Derry a bonus point victory. City of Derry’s last home All Ireland League game of the season is at home next Saturday against Midleton with a 2.30pm Kick-off.
City of Derry Team V Greystones; Steven Jefferson, Sam McCauley, Sam Duffy, Stephen Corr, Chris Cooper, Tom Patton, Richard Baird, Stephen Ferguson, Jack Caithness, Richard McCarter, William McCleery, David Funston, Chris Barber, Ryan Campbell, Simon Logue. Replacements; David Ferguson, Paul McFeely, Chris Shields, David Graham, Peter Henderson.
