Preview
City of Derry RFC Under 15’S V Banbridge
Saturday 30th April 2011
By;Moss Dineen;
City of Derry Rugby Club Under 15’s travel to Ravenhill, Belfast on Saturday to compete in their first Ulster Cup Final with a 12.15pm Kick-off. Derry’s opponents will be Banbridge who have been the most successful club in Ulster at this level in recent years and will go into the game as firm favourites. The City of Derry Coach Christy Curran will have a full squad to choose from following the return from suspension of the outstanding Jack Dixon.
City of Derry reached the final following outstanding performances against Ballynahinch in the Q/Final and Ballymena in the Semi-Final. The S/Final was a home fixture for Derry three weeks ago against a very big Ballymena Pack who was expected to dismiss the home resistance and go on and record an easy victory on their way to the final. Derry had other thoughts on the day and defended their line with commitment and bravery early on and eventually drove Ballymena back. City of Derry showed some outstanding pace in the backs and try’s from Ryan McMenamin, Ashley Doherty and Captain Daniel Seaman soon turned the game in Derry’s favour. Seaman kicked two conversions and one penalty for a personal tally of twelve points to seal his teams place in the final on a score line of 22pts to 10pts.
City of Derry’s Youth Convenor Malcolm Montgomery said earlier this week “the Club are over the moon about the boys getting to the final on the back of out first fifteen winning All Ireland Division 3 last week. Christ Curran has done a great job with the boys all season and has been helped by Derek Young. The progress the boys have made has been phenomenal as some of them have only taken up Rugby for the first time last September. There has been great strides made at youth rugby in the club over a number of years and the benefits are now there to be seen. The Club has had representatives on Ulster Teams at all grades this season and Conall Doherty has gone on to represent Ireland in their recent Unser 18 Tournament against England, France and Germany. We will see many of our current crop of players go on to play senior rugby for Derry and that is real progress”.
City of Derry is running a Coach to Belfast leaving the Clubhouse on Saturday morning at 9am. Parents wishing to reserve a place, please contact Malcolm Montgomery.
