In their second game of the season the young Derry side took to the road to play their last friendly before the real work of the league starts next week and came away worthy winners by 25 points to 15. With both teams missing some players it was a useful exercise to see what some of the squad players could offer.
Due to unavailability, Ulster duty and injury the City side were short of backs to travel with but Ronnie McElwee put his hand up and filled in on the wing, where he was to have a good game!
The game kicked off and it was the home side who settled in to their patterns early and were putting their opponents under some early pressure, this resulted in an early penalty attempt which went wide on 3 mins. It was not long before more pressure lead to an offside decision against the Derry team and this time the kick was successful and the Rainey team were in front by 3 points.
This seemed to spur the visitors on and after some good interplay by backs and forwards allowed Porter over for a good team score near the sticks, outhalf Keys added the extra points and the Derry boys were in the lead 7 points to 3. With their new found confidence the forwards took the ball at the bigger Rainey pack and after a series of pick and drives on the Rainey line big second row Manus McLaughlin barged over to score out wide, the conversion was missed.
One of the Rainey props picked up an injury and with no front row cover the scrums were to go uncontested, this took advantage away from the Derry eight who were driving their host about all over the field. After a period of slackness in the usual good Derry defence the Rainey forwards found a gap and crossed the line to score an unconverted try, 12 – 8 to Derry. Again the Derry side upped their game and came storming back at the hosts and good pressure lead to a penalty which was successfully converted by outhalf Keys. This was the last action of the half and left the halftime score at 15 points to 8 in favour of the City team.
The second half saw the introduction of Gallagher to the back row with McLaughlin making way for him and Crawford moving in to the row. Again the team took time to settle and this allowed the opposition to get a foothold in the game, this lead to the Derry team shipping a lot of unnecessary pressure! From one period of pressure the home side No8 picked from an uncontested scrum and drove just short but the from the next ruck the Rainey forwards squeezed in for a try which was converted to level the scores at 15 points all.
With ten minutes left the Derry boys got down to business and went about winning the game! With the scrums just a means of restarting the game they were ineffective to launch attacks from so on one occasion when big No8 Killian Doherty went to first centre a strong run lead to him crashing over through a few despairing tackles. This took the Derry team ahead by 5 points, the conversion being missed. With the scent of victory in their noses the City boys went after the game and after a lot of good pressure and sustained pressure the score of the game was to come. After another good line out possession was won and the ball moved to Keys who through out a wide pass which the on rushing Jamie Devine at fullback took at pace and outflanked the home defence to score out wide. With the kick missed the ref blew the final whistle to leave the Derry team as deserved victors.
It was particularly pleasing to see how the young Derry team went about finishing out the game but work needs to be done on keeping concentration and momentum going from the first whistle. Next week the City side travel to play Letterkenny in the first league game of the season.
