City of Derry Rugby Club kept their winning run going on Saturday kast when they defeated Rainey in the Ulster Senior League at Judges Road to claim their eight successive victories in all competitions. The game was strewn with mistakes from both sides but from Derry’s point of view this fixture gave them the opportunity to give game time to key players returning from injury. Bob McKillop in the second row and winger William McCleery got eighty minutes each while Stephen Ferguson at No 8 got over sixty minutes and this will have been a great fillip for Coaches Bevan Lynch and Mark Nicholl.
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The conditions were perfect for rugby on Saturday with Derry playing with a slight breeze in the first half. The early pressure was all from Derry when they looked very impressive bur were unable to breakdown a sold Rainey defense. The first twenty minutes had passed by and the home side had missed two kickable penalties with Rainey having failed to visit the Derry twenty two meter line. The Magherafelt men eventually came back at Derry with some quality possession and with scrum half Peter Sciascia and out half Gavin Martin pulling the strings they released wing forward Peter Heaney to get in for an unconverted try on twenty one minutes and the Rainey were 5pts to nil in front.
Adam Parke kicked a penalty for Derry on thirty minutes to reduce the arrears to 3pts to 5pts. Rainey had played themselves into the game and were rewarded for pressure on thirty five minutes when a loose kick out of the Derry defense was punished in some style. Andrew Campbell and full back Alan Clarke worked the ball back to the Derry 22 meter line and once they linked with Sciascia poor defense from the home team allowed the impressive scrum half in for an unconverted try and a 10pts to 3pts lead for the Rainey.
Derry came back strongly and Alan Clarke the Rainey full back was sent to the bin on forty minutes for repeated breakdown infringements. Sam Duffy, Cathal Creggan and Gareth Beatty the Derry from row produced two massive 5 meter scrums and when No 8 Ritchie Baird picked and drove forward
supported by Stephen Corr and Stephen Ferguson quick ball was pounced upon by centre Adam Parke to touch down for a deserved try and when he converted himself it was 10 pts all at the half time whistle.
Derry started the second half in positive fashion and Bob McKillop was making his presence felt with strong driving play supported by his second row partner David Houston. The same couple combined with the second half just four minute’s old when they produced go forward ball. Houston made an incisive break from the half way line and when stopped he linked with Simon Logue who released the impressive William McCleery to sprint in form 20 meters for an unconverted try and Derry were leading by 15pts to 10pts.
The Derry backs were getting some quality ball and Josh Lewis, Chris Barber, Richard Peoples and Andrew Semple were looking threatening throughout. McCleery made an incisive break on eleven minutes and when the Derry back row produced quick ball at the breakdown Andrew Semple was there to release Richie Baird for an excellent try and with Parke converting Derry were leading by 22pts to 10pts.
Rainey came back and responded with a good driving maul from their forwards after eighteen minutes and their No 8 Michael Shields touched down for an unconverted try with Derry still leading by 22pts to 15pts. The remainder of the game was scoreless as both sides had chances but unforced errors and over elaboration spoiled chances. Rainey threw everything at Derry for the last ten minutes striving for a draw but outstanding discipline in defense for the home side held their line intact and eventually loose ball was snapped up by Andrew Semple as he cleared his line the final whistle blew with another victory for the Judges Road men.
City of Derry RFC Team V Rainey: Sam Duffy, Cathal Cregan, Gareth Beatty, Bob McKillop, David Houston, Stephen Corr, Stephen Duffy, Richard Baird, Andrew Semple, Richard Peoples, William McCleery, Adam Parke, Chris Barber, Josh Lewis, Simon Logue. Replacements: Sam McAuley, Stephen Ferguson, Richard McCarter, Ryan Campbell, Adam Bratton
