City of Derry RFC 37pts, Bective 10pts
Match Report by; Moss Dineen
City of Derry Rugby Club returned to winning ways at Judges Road on Saturday last when they came from being behind at half time to score five try’s and record another bonus point victory at the expense of Bective Rangers from Dublin. This victory moves Derry into fifth position in All Ireland League Division 2A just one point behind Banbridge in fourth position.
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This defeat for Bective puts them perilously close to the relegation zone and the danger of relegation from Division 2 a league they have graced since the inception of the AIL in 1990-91. The only other time Bective looked like leaving that league was when promotion to Division 1 in season 1996 -97 looked a certainty. They unfortunately came up against a powerful City of Derry side captained by Sean O’Kane and included backs of the calibre of Steven Smyth, Steven Lindsay and David Hunter and a strong pack that had Clarke Millar, Peter Gault, Neil Stewart and Keith Gallic. The feature of the game that Derry won by 11pts to 8pts was a magical try from second row forward Liam McGettigan. The big Letterkenny man fielded a ball from the kick off and beat nine players with power and pace as he ran 80 meters to score a memorable try.
The conditions on Saturday at Judges Road were perfect for Rugby and Derry were on top for the first twenty minutes that produced some beautiful moves but the final pass was missing but there were warning signs for Bective of what was to come later. The Derry scrum was powerful with Steven Jefferson, David Ferguson and Sam Duffy having the upper hand in the front row ably supported by David Houston and Chris Cooper behind them. The scrum produced on eight minutes and won a penalty which Richard McCarter converted for a 3pts lead for the home team.
The Derry line out was well on top with Chris Cooper and David Houston dominating. Cooper showed great agility and strength on twelve minutes when he caught cleanly in the line out on the half way line, he drove forward breaking a couple of tackles to create a great attacking platform. Derry pressure told on nineteen minutes following marauding play in the loose from back row forwards Stephen Corr, T om Patton and Richard Baird, McCarter slotted a great penalty from 35 meters and the lead was 6pts to nil.
Bective played themselves back into the game and a massive hit from their evergreen second row Paul Hatton was the catalyst for go forward ball on nineteen minutes. The backs produced some beautiful play taking the ball left and then right to allow their centre Ian Cullinane to score an excellent try which was converted by Barry Lynn and the lead for the Dubliners by 7pts to 6pts.
Derry’s dominant scrum won another penalty on twenty seven minutes which was not converted. Bective grew in confidence and incisive back play cut the home defence to pieces on thirty minutes and a try looked a certainty but the ball was spilled. Bective received a setback two minutes later when their prop John Byrne was sent to the Sin Bin but they were on top at this stage and they had a shot at a drop goal on thirty six minutes but missed narrowly. Tom Patton was injured and was replaced Stephen Ferguson with time running out in the first half and as the referee blew the whistle Bective were in front at the break by 7prs to 6pts.
The second half started with City of Derry Coaches Mark Nicholl and Ashley Blair introducing Sam McAuley to the game at hooker. The game changed dramatically on ten minutes when the Judges Road men suddenly hit their stride to score two try’s in five minutes. The first try came following a great break from back row forward Stephen Corr who made ground before passing to David Funston who found Richard McCarter. McCarter beat two men before connecting with Stephen Ferguson to touch down for a great team try which was unconverted and Derry were back in front by 11pts to 7pts.
Ferguson was making a massive impression since his introduction with a Man of the Match performance that included powerful carries that kept Bective on the back foot. Chris Cooper was once again giving a power packed performance supported by Richard Baird and Stephen Corr and with Richard McCarter managing the game beautifully with great positional kicking and bringing his back line into the game, Derry were firing on all cylinders..
Bob McKillop and Paul McFeely came on to the second row and front row to continue the home teams dominance up front. Strong play from Ryan Campbell, Simon Logue and Jack Caithness forced Bective to kick loose ball out of defence on fourteen minutes. William McCleery fielded on the halfway line and ran the ball across filed and straightened beating two players before finding centre Chris Barber in support 35 meters out. Barber showed power and pace to beat a few players before running around behind the post to touch down for an excellent try which McCarter converted for an 18pts to 7pts lead.
Bective temporarily stemmed the tide with a penalty from Barry Lynn on twenty three minutes to reduce the deficit to 18pts to 10pts. The home team were playing some attractive rugby and always looked dangerous and when McCarter kicked a penalty into the corner on twenty seven minutes a statement of intent was made and executed. Baird won the lineout 5 meters out and a forward drive saw Sam McAuley touching down for a try which was converted by McCarter and Derry’s lead was 25pts to 10pts.
The four try bonus point was in the bag three minutes later; Tom Patton had come back onto the pitch and won a lineout against the throw at the front 20 meters out. He quickly passed to scrum half Jack Caithness coming around the front and he used his pace to outstrip the cove to score in the corner and McCarter again converted for a 32pts to 10pts lead and game over.
Richard Peoples came on and Simon Logue went to scrum half and Derry confirmed their superiority once more with just a couple of minutes remaining. The Judges Road men won a scrum 25 meters out and Simon Logue picked up and two side steppes later and a burst of pace saw him touch down in the corner for an unconverted try to leave the final score 37pts to 10pts in Derry favour. City of Derry now play Division 1B Team Belfast Harlequins in the Ulster League at Judges Road on Saturday with a 2.30pm Kick-off
City of Derry Team V Baective; Steven Jefferson, Sam McCauley, Sam Duffy, David Houston, Chris Cooper, Stephen Corr, Tom Patton, Richard Baird, Jack Caithness, Richard McCarter, William McCleery, David Funston, Chris Barber, Ryan Campbell, Simon Logue. Replacements; Sam McAuley, Paul McFeely, Bob McKillop, Stephen Ferguson, Richard Peoples.
