City of Derry RFC 40pts, Bective Rangers FC 17pts.
Match Report by; Moss Dineen
City of Derry RFC and Bective came to Judges Road on Saturday with both teams having played one game and both sitting on top of All Ireland League Division 2B with each having five points from try bonus point victories last weekend. The first half was even with Derry leading narrowly at half time by 19pts to 17pts but a second half that saw Bective never get out of their own half only to kick off. Derry scored three try’s for a bonus point victory to put them two points clear at the top of the league ahead of Rainey and Greystones.
The weather was perfect for rugby at Judges Road on Saturday last and with Ireland giving a rock solid performance against Canada earlier in Cardiff the scene was set. The icing on the cake would be a good home display that would send a message to all Clubs in AIL division 2B that City of Derry RFC were going to be the team to beat in the league this season.
Derry started brightly and were on the score board after four minutes with a penalty from Neil Burns at 3pts to Nil up. The home team looked in control but when running out of their own half on six minues Bective’s Rob O’Beirne intercepted 40 meters out to touch down for a try between the posts and he converted himself to put his team in front by 7pts to 3pts. Derry were playing reasonably well but lacking intensity at the breakdown, Simon Logue combined with Sam Duffy on nine minutes to produce go forward ball and with Bective going offside at the breakdown Neil Burns converted the resultant penalty from 30 meters out and Derry were behind by 7pts to 6pts.
The Derry scrum were well on top all through as Chris Shields, Cathal Creggan and Sam Duffy were all over the opposition and with Chris Cooper and David Houston lording the line out the set piece belonged to the Judges Road men. The Derry pack produced a powerful scrum penalty on seventeen minutes and Neil Burns obliged with a kick from 25 meters to put Derry in front by 9pts to 7pts. Bective came back at Derry and great defence from centres Stuart Simpson, David Graham and Ali Beckett held them at bay. Beckett made a great run for Derry on twenty four minutes but illegal play saw Bective No 8 Conor Power sent to the bin. Derry were looking for the try but were turned over 10 meters from the Bective line and they cleared their lines.
Bective came back strong at Derry and on twenty seven minutes miss tackles allowed Bective in for a try from O’Beirne which he converted himself to put the Dubliners in front by 14pts to 9pts. Derry came back immediately and Bective were penalised for not releasing in the tackle and Neil Burns obliged with the penalty and Derry were behind by 14pts to 12pts. Bective retorted with a penalty of their own on thirty four minutes and O’Beirne increased their lead to 17pts to 12pts. Man of the Match Neil Burns had the final say in the first half on the stroke of half time when he kicked through a perfectly weighted kick for centre David Graham to touch down for a try and Burns himself converted for a half time lead for Derry at 19pts to 17pts.
The second half belonged to Derry and it was a comprehensive and cynical display all round to totally outplay Bective and send the home supporters home happy. The Derry back row were outstanding and imposed themselves on the game with John Burns at open side showing what a great addition he is to the team, Stephen Dickey at blind side wing forward was outstanding all through with both supported by the powerful Stephen Corr. Power play from Derry saw another Bective player go to the bin within three minutes of the restart. Derry eventually produced for pressure on eighteen minutes when Corr found Neil Burns to run in for a try which he converted himself for a 26pts to 17pts lead.
Derry missed a great scoring opportunity two minutes later when with a two to one situation on the right wing a knock on saved Bective. Thirty minutes were gone when winger Neil Brown produced a bit of magic to make his own space and touch down for a try in the corner and Neil Burns converted from the touchline to put Derry ahead by 33pts to 17pts. David Ferguson, David Funston, Graham Murphy and Craig Huey had come from the bench and all made an impact. The bonus point was now on and it came from a strong scrum on thirty four minutes when Stephen Corr picked up at No 8 and passed to scrum half Andrew Semple who showed power and pace to sprint in from 35 meters to touch down for a try by the posts and Neil Burns converted to produce an unblemished kicking display to stretch Derry’s lead to 40pts to 17pts.
Derry were on the attack to the end with incessant pressure on the Bective line and Corr almost got in for a try in injury time. Terry McMaster and his Coaches will be happy with a terrific second half display that is testimony to all the hard work that has been put in in the gym and on the training pitch for the last four months. Derry are away to Cork next weekend where they play bottom of the league Sundays Well.
City of Derry RFC Team V MU Barnhall; Chris Shields, Cathal Creggan, Sam Duffy, Adam Dvid Houston, Chris Cooper, Steven Dickey, John Burns(Capt), Stephen Corr, Andrew Semple, Neil Burns, Simon Logue, Stuart Simpson, David Graham, Neil Brown, Ali Beckett. Replacements; Graham Murphy, David Funston, Craig Huey, David Funston, Richard McCarter.
