City of Derry Rugby Club continued their impressive start to the season with a comprehensive victory over Rainey Old Boys at Magherafelt on Saturday last. Derry dominated from start to finish scoring six try’s for another bonus point victory to stay joint top of the Ulster Senior League. Derry Head Coach Mark Nicholl and his Assistant Ashley Blair were delighted after the match with the manner of victory which was gained through aggression and commitment at the ruck and breakdown from the pack and expansive flowing play from an always dangerous backline.
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The early pressure came from City of Derry despite playing into a strong breeze in dry conditions and with their back row of Adam Bratton, Richard Baird and Tom Patton in the thick of everything an early score look a certainty. It was a surprise that it took thirteen minutes for try but when Bratton pounced on loose ball and engaged the Rainey defence with a strong drive inside the 22 meter line Tom Patton was in support to link with Man of the Match Richard Baird who touched down in the corner. Richard Peoples kicked a great conversion for a 7prs to nil lead for the Judges Road men.
The Ulster League allows each team five substitutes which can be rotated on and off to allow coaches to tactically change their focus. Derry brought on Paul McFeely for Steven Jefferson and his impact was immediate on seventeen minutes when he carried into the Rainey half and following quick ruck ball Andrew Semple made a great break and linked with Tom Patton to score a team try wide out and Peoples converted for a 14pts to nil lead.
The Derry play now had a great flow and rhythm with backs and forwards linking up beautifully and with Richard Peoples pulling the strings at out half Derry centres Captain David Funston and Ryan Campbell were getting plenty of ball to make inroads into the Rainey half. Simon Logue made a great break from inside his own 22 meter line on twenty minutes and beat five players before he ran out of support and was hauled 5 meters from the line, Logue was on fire all game and that move deserved a try. Rainey eventually got themselves into the game with some time in the Derry half and were rewarded with two converted penalties from Marc O’Connor to reduce the arrears at the break to 14pts to 6pts.
Derry started the second half by bringing Jack Caithness from the bench to scrum half and moving Andrew Semple to out half. Caithness produced on four minutes following pressure just outside the Rainey 22. He did an “elusive pimpernel” act when he twisted and ducked out of several attempted tackled before finding his Captain David Funston who was able to stroll in to touch down between the posts from 5 meters and with Peter Henderson converting it was 21pts to 6pts for Derry.
Ryan Spratt came on at hooker to make his senior debut for Cathal Creggan who along with Chris Shields, Chris Cooper and David Houston were impressive in tight and loose play all afternoon and worked hard to produce quality ball for the backs. Derry were back on the scoreboard with just ten minutes gone when Richard Baird once again make a great break to create disarray in the Rainey defence and when Andrew Semple got the ball in midfield 30 meters out he showed a great sense of place and space to find Simon Logue on the wing with a two man 30 meter miss pass for an easy run in try, Henderson converted and Derry were cursing at 28pts to 6pts in front. Brian Prue and Adam Parke came on for Derry.
Funston produced a great steal on fifteen minutes 22 meters out and Richard Baird was on hand to turn and swivel past three players to touch down for an unconverted try and a 33prs to 6pts lead. Rainey eventually got on the scoreboard again when wing forward Connor O’Neill got in for a try and O’Connor converted and it was 33pts to 13pts. 
Derry produces a great training ground move on twenty minutes when William McCleery came in off the wing on a switch move to cut the Rainey defence to pieces and setup Funston with the line at this mercy but his pass to Adam Park went astray. Derry produced from a 5 meter scrum on thirty minutes when Semple found Funston who passed to Henderson to touched down between the posts and with Peoples back on converting the lead was 40pts to 13pts
Rainey got in for a late consolation try on the stroke of full time when Robert Lamberton touched down to leave the final score 40pts to 18pts and an emphatic victory for the Judges Road men.
City of Derry Team V Rainey OB; Chris Shields, Cathal Creggan, Steven Jefferson, David Houston, Chris Cooper, Adam Bratton, Tom Patton, Richard Baird, Andrew Semple, Richard Peoples, Simon Logue, Ryan Campbell, David Funston, William McCleery, Peter Henderson. Replacements; Paul McFeely, Ryan Spratt, Brian Prue, Jack Caithness, Adam Parke.
