City of Derry 35pts, Instonians 14pts
By; Moss Dineen
City of Derry Rugby Club returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion when they outscored Instonians by five try’s to one in their All Ireland League Division 2A fixture on Saturday last at Judges Road. This bonus point win could turn Derry’s season round and ease any pressure of possible relegation and with the next series of AIL fixtures not until Saturday 28th January it means that Christmas and the New Year will be a happier one around Judges Road.
Highlights Vid
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City of Derry’s previous recent record against Instonians at home over the last couple of seasons had produced three victories and Coaches Bevan Lynch and Mark Nicholl were quietly confident that their charges would produce when required. They were not to be disappointed as David Houston was an immense influence on the forwards and brings something special to Derry’s game and along with Man of the Match Andrew Semple they were the catalyst for an outstanding all round team performance.
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The game started in whirlwind fashion with the Judges Road men on the attack and Richard McCarter kicked a penalty after 2 minutes following Instionians off side at the breakdown. Derry committed the same offence on 4 minutes and Irish International Cricketer and Instonians out half Rory McCann leveled the score at 3pts all.
Coach Bevan Lynch Comments
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The Derry pack were warming to their task and their big players were beginning to play big games with the back row of Stephen Ferguson, Stephen Corr and Richard Baird dominating at the breakdown and in the loose. The Derry scrum was solid all through and after 8 minutes following scrum ball and two quick phases with Captain Sam McAuley, Bob McKillop and Sam Duffy to the fore Andrew Semple fed out half Richard McCarter who created space and offloaded to David Houston to score under the posts and with McCarter adding the extras Derry were leading by 10pts to 3pts.
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The territorial advantage was all Derry’s and following good play from backs and forwards when a try looked a possibility they were turned over following a loose pass after 20 minutes. Instonians attacked quickly with the Derry defense not formed and it took an outstanding tackle from last man Simon Logue to save a certain try. Logue was back in the spotlight again after 28 minutes this time on attack when he produced a great break to create havoc in the Inst half and Andrew Semple was on hand with opposition in disarray to link with Stephen Ferguson who crashed in for an unstoppable unconverted try and it was 15pts to 3prs for Derry.
Instonians got themselves back into the game on 34 minutes when former City of Derry player Seamus Mallon make a great break to slice open the Derry defense and found the perfect pass to send speedy winger Marcus Hart in for an unconverted try to reduce the deficit to 15pts to 8pts. Richard McCarter had the last say in the first half when he made a great break and Instonians were caught off side in the centre at the ruck and McCarter slotted over the resultant penalty to take Derry’s lead at the break to 18pts to 11pts.
The second half started with Derry once again dominating all phases of play and strong runs from Adam Bratton, Chris Barbour, Josh Lewis and David Funston kept Instonians on the back foot. The Shaw’s Bridge men had second row Matt Irwin sent to the bin after 2 minutes for repeated infringements trying to slow the game. Andrew Semple produced a moment of magic on 3 minutes from a lineout which was won by Houston, Semple dummied an underhand pass to fox the Inst defense and ran in from 25 meters for a wonderful try and with McCarter converting it was 25pts to 11pts for Derry.
Mallon was back in the action on 13 minutes when he once again produced a fine break and when Funston offended he was dispatched to the bin and McCann tapped over the resultant penalty and Inst were down by 25pts to 14pts. Derry secured the bonus point try after 24 minutes when good play by McKillop, Corr, McAuley and his two props setup quick ruck ball and that man Semple was on hand once more to find the outstanding Baird who touched down for the unconverted try and Derry were cruising at 30pts to 14pts up.
Bevan Lynch and Mark Nicholl unloaded the bench and Gareth Beatty and Cathal Creggan came on in the front row and young Chris McDonald came into the back row, Richard Peoples replaced McCarter at out half and Ryan Campbell came on the wing. The impact was immediate with Beatty, Creggan and McDonald doing the spade work for the fifth try on 29 minutes and when Peoples found Semple he released Ryan Campbell on a storming run to score a great team try in the corner to close the scoring for the day with Derry completely on top at 35pts to 14pts in front.
This was a fine all round performance from Derry that has wiped away the memories of the last three defeats in which their average score was 27pts per game and still they lost to Ballymena in Cup S.Final and in the AIL to Seapoint and Dublin University. The key on Saturday last was the lineout with quality ball from Houston Corr and Baird then Semple was able to call the shots. Credit must go to Sam McAuley for his throwing and to forwards coach Mark Nicholl. It has been widely recognised in AIL 2A that Derry have probably the strongest scrum and now with the lineout functioning the set piece becomes a platform for the likes of Semple and McCarter to do real damage. The next AIL game is away to bottom club Clonakilty on Saturday 28th January and with a break before then in New Year a reinvigorated Derry can aspire once again to a top four league position come end of season.
City of Derry RFC Team V Dublin Instonians: David Witherow, Sam McAuley, Sam Duffy, Bob McKillop, David Houston, Stephen Corr, Richard Baird, Stephen Ferguson, Andrew Semple, Richard McCarter, Josh Lewis, Chris Barbour, David Funston, Adam Bratton, Simon Logue. Replacements: Cathal Creggan, Gareth Beattie, Chris McDonald, Richard Peoples, Ryan Campbell.
