City of Derry Rugby Club got their All Ireland League Division 2A campaign back on track with a dramatic victory in Dublin on Saturday last when they defeated the joint league leaders Old Wesley by the narrowest of margins. The game was in the balance right to the final whistle as the Derry players produced a Herculean effort to come away with victory after loosing the Captain Sam McAuley to a dubious Red Card decision on 28 minutes. Derry were playing sparkling rugby at the time and were leading by 22prs to Nil and looking like they were going to impose a humiliating defeat on a Dublin side whose expectations of a comfortable victory were being obliterated by an inspired confident City of Derry display.
The conditions at Donnybrook on Saturday last were ideal for running rugby and when Derry received from the kick-off they put down a marker by putting 15 phases of play together to take play to the half way line. Old Wesley got some possession but turn over ball was capitalised on by a hungry Derry back row. Simon Logue came into the line to connect with Richard McCarter who produced a numbers mismatch with a skip pass to Richard Baird on the wing to run in from 30 meters for a try which Richard McCarter converted to give his team a 7pts lead with just eight minutes gone. Confidence was increasing right through the Derry team as a powerful scrum became the platform for go forward ball. The Derry front five were dominating and the front row of Chris Shields, Sam McAuley and Sam Duffy supported by second rowers David Witherow and Brian Prue produced a massive physical presence in both the set pieces and open play.
The Derry scrum produced on 14 minutes to the left of the posts and with a pushover try looking a possibility Andrew Semple gave Richard McCarter quick ball going right and a dummy pass gave him a walk over touchdown for an unconverted try and a 12pts to nil lead for Derry. Old Wesley kicked off and Stephen Ferguson received to make a powerful inspirational drive to the half way line supported by the outstanding Richard Baird and Stephen Corr, quick go forward ball was produced to initiate a flowing move initiated by the vision of Richard McCarter.
The support play, accuracy of passing and lines of running that followed were of the highest order that must have brought a sense of total satisfaction to coaches Bevan Lynch and Mark Nicholl. The flowing try scoring movement was unveiled in front of their eyes that was testament to the work put in by Coaches, players and support staff over the last three years. Mc Carter released David Funston with Simon Logue running a dummy line, Funston drew two men and found Adam Bratton hitting the line at pace, Funston looped Bratton to receive a pass released before the tackle. David Funston found the supporting Richard Baird just inside the Wesley 22 meter line and quick hands freed Chris Barber to run for one of the finest try’s ever scored by Derry and Richard McCarter put the icing on the cake and Derry were cruising at 19pts to nil.
The genie suddenly seemed to be released out of the bottle and the sight of Sam Duffy, Chris Shields, Sam McAuley and David Witherow running with ball in hand set alarm bells ringing in the Old Wesley defence. It looked as if Derry were going to put Old Wesley to the sword and score sixty or seventy points. The Derry dominant scrum again made Wesley offend on 21 minutes and McCarter brought Derry lead to 22pts to nil.
The game turned on its head on 28 minutes when a ruck was formed with Derry going forward outside their own 22 meter line. The ball was being made available with Sam McAuley covering the players underneath him. The Old Wesley No 8 attacked the ruck late to clear out head first from 20 meters with no arms to make a tackle; he connected with Sam McAuley’s head which was bounced back. Derry moved play along the back line and the ball was taken into touch on the far side of the pitch in the Wesley half. The Linesman held his flag out to call back the referee who discussed the incident for over 3 minutes; the referee called the Wesley No 5 and Sam McAuley and produced a red card stating McAuley had made a second movement with his head.
The Derry men remained in positive mode and when under pressure in their own half on 32 minutes Ferguson, Baird and Corr manoeuvred turn over ball and with Andrew Semple having a great game everything was possible. The ball was moved quickly by Semple to McCarter who again had the vision to see the opposition defence in disarray and moved quick ball to Adam Bratton who produced an exquisite chip in behind the remaining defender for Josh Lewis to collect to touch down for an unconverted try to leave the half time score 27pts to nil in Derry’s favour.
Derry were back on attack from the kick-off and Gareth Beatty had replaced Sam Duffy at tight head prop, the Derry scrum with seven men forced an infringement and Richard McCarter converted beautifully from distance to put his team in front by 30pts to nil with the second half 2 minutes old. The next penalty for Derry did not come until just before injury time and in the interim the referee gave Old Wesley 19 free kicks or full penalties which enabled Wesley to gain field position to allow them back into the game.
Old Wesley got in for a converted try on 9 minutes and three minutes later converted a penalty to reduce the arrears to 30pts to 10pts. Derry rotated the bench to introduce fresh legs and Stephen Duffy, Adam Parke along with Richard Peoples and David Graham were all introduced. Derry worked hard to stem the Old Wesley tide but with refereeing decisions going against them they were always on the back foot. Wesley got in for another converted try on 14 minutes and suddenly it was 30pts to 17pts and pressure mounting for the Judges Road men.
There was worse to come for Derry on 22 minutes when Brian Prue was sin binned for a ridiculous off side refereeing decision and brought Derry down to 13 men and running out of fit bodies. Wesley got in for an unconverted try after 27 minutes and six minute later they got a converted try to reduce the deficit to 30pts to 29pts. Derry lost David Funston to a stamping incident that held up play for several minutes as a suspected broken arm was treated on the pitch. Shortly afterwards Adam Bratton had to leave the field with a broken collar bone.
The Derry defence stood strong with bodies being put on the line unconditionally for the cause, David Witherow and Sam Duffy were brought back on and their experience coupled with the return of Brian Prue allowed Derry to regain some semblance of composure. The referee eventually gave Derry two penalty decisions and Corr, Ferguson and Baird set about killing the game and running down the clock as 8 minutes of injury time were played out in the Wesley half.
The referee blew the final whistle as Man of the Match Richard McCarter put the ball into touch to wild scenes of jubilation from Derry players, Coaches and Supporters. McCarter was back to his very best following a serious injury last season, he kept the Old Wesley defensive line honest as they never knew whether he was going to run, pass or kick and this outstanding performance will have given his confidence some boost. This was a real squad performance in a game that looked like being a stroll in the park for Derry to becoming trench warfare with a backs to the wall performance that will live in the memory forever. This City of Derry Squad that Coaches Bevan Lynch and Mark Nicholl have put together showed on Saturday that they can do it all on the day when required and the Club can look forward to a memorable season once again with a team playing exciting, entertaining and winning rugby.
City of Derry Team: : Chris Shields, Sam McAuley, Sam Duffy, David Witherow, Brian Prue, Stephen Corr, Richard Baird, Stephen Ferguson, Andrew Semple, Richard McCarter, Josh Lewis, David Funston, Chris Barber, Simon Logue. Replacements: Gareth Beatty, Stephen Duffy, Adam Parke, David Graham, Richard Peoples.
