City of Derry RFC 29pts, Seapoint Nil
City of Derry Rugby Club returned to All Ireland League Division 2B action after a three week Christmas break when they welcomed Seapoint Rugby Club from South Dublin to Judges Road on Saturday last. It was a case of top versus bottom of the league with Seapoint still to taste victory this season and Derry flying high at the top of the table six points clear of their nearest rivals Highfield from Cork. Derry recorded an expected bonus point victory with two first half try’s from Stephen Corr and Ian Bratton for a 12pts to Nil lead at the break. Man of the Match David Graham scored a brace of try’s in the second half each of which were exceptional scores but the final result bore no reflection of Seapoint’s territorial advantage throughout the game.
The conditions were reasonable for rugby at Judges Road on Saturday with the Dubliners playing with a slight breeze. The first fifteen minutes belonged to Seapoint as they dominated possession and missed a shot a goal from a kickable penalty and went to the corner with another penalty. The home defence was outstanding with Stuart Simpson, David Funston and David Graham along with Ali Beckett and Simon Logue relishing the physical challenge and putting their bodies on the line. The Derry scrum with Rory Squires, Captain David Ferguson and Sam Duffy had the upper hand all afternoon with support from second rowers Adam Bratton and Chris Cooper. Ross Harkin has a great game when he replaced Squires and David Houston, Craig Huey, Ian Bratton and Richard Baird all contributed for the bench.
Simon Logue made a great break from his own half on fifteen minutes that was a game changer and with support from Ali Beckett the outstanding Derry back row of Steven Dickey, Stephen Corr and John Burns carried the ball forward and the home team won a 5 meter scrum. The pack produced with another powerful scrum and great control from No 8 Stephen Corr allowed him to dot down for a try by the posts and when out half Neil Burns converted Derry were in front against the run of play by 7pts to nil. John Burns who was having a terrific game made a break on twenty minutes into the Seapoint half but lack of support thwarted the move.
Seapoint showed great spirit and commitment with no reward on the scoreboard and were back on the attack on twenty four minutes but outstanding defence again from Simpson, Funston and Andrew Semple kept the Dubliners at bay. Seapoint opted to kick a penalty to the corner on twenty seven minutes but Derry once more stood up and were counted and cleared their lines. Derry Head Coach Terry McMaster went to the bin on the half hour and brought on Ian Bratton, David Houston and Ross Harkin.
Derry were winning scrum penalties at will and used the ploy to retain possession and gain territory. The Judges Road men moved forward as time ran out towards half time, Ali Beckett made another fine break and with a man outside him he opted to cut back inside and it seemed the chance was gone. Stephen Dickey carried the ball on and with forward support quick ruck ball was snapped up by scrum half Andrew Semple. Semple transferred to Neil Burns who found David Graham going right and he picked out winger Ian Bratton who showed pace and power to touch down in the corner for an unconverted try and Derry lead at half time by 12pts to nil.
Derry started the second half brightly and continual infringements saw Seapoint No 8 and Captain Eoin Cremen sent to the sin bin on seven minutes. Neil Burns missed the resultant penalty but made amends on fifteen minutes when Seapoint went offside and Derry were leading by 15pts to Nil. Seapoint were still lively and controlled possession, Ross Harkin made a few telling tackles in succession to stop the Dubliners progress on twenty minutes. John Burns was all over the place on the ground making tackle after tackle and playing on the edge all the time. With Burns it’s like life itself if you not living on the edge you’re not living at all. Burns was spoken to by the referee and he slipped into obscurity for a couple of minutes as Seapoint came at Derry again. Stephen Corr was sent to the bin for the sins of others as a Derry player again slowed the ball down illegally.
Seapoint threw everything at Derry from the twenty fifth minute onwards as Derry gave away three quick penalties on their own line. Seapoint went for a 5 meter line out and were stopped short on four occasions. The Dubliners again came back and were camped on the Derry line for over five minutes and were held up with outstanding tackling and every Derry players putting his body on the line. Penalties abounded for Seapoint and with tap and go and continual further pressure they were stopped again. Derry cleared their lines several times but their exit strategy and execution was poor and this allowed possession back to Seapoint. It was that man John Burns who turned over possession on seventy one minutes to eventually relieve the siege of the Derry line and prove that defence win games.
David Graham got an intercept 10 meters from his own line on seventy three minutes and with power broke past three would be tacklers before gathering pace and sprinting the length of the pitch to touch down between the posts and Neil Burns converted for a 22pts to nil Derry lead. Richard Baird came on for Derry as Seapoint to their credit mustered another attack. Derry slowly but surely regained possession and moved the ball out of their own 22.
David Houston won a line out just inside his own half deep in injury time and Derry pulled a move from the training ground. Semple found Neil Burns who fed Ian Bratton coming from the blindside wing. Bratton connected with Beckett who rook play to the Seapoint 22 and was tackled to setup ruck ball. Semple following quick ruck ball fed Craig Huey who made good ground and when stopped the pack cleaned out the opposition to give Semple quick ball. Semple moved the ball right and great hands from Logue and John Burns found David Graham who produced good footwork and pace to beat the Seapoint cover and sprint in from 30 meters to touch down for a wonderful bonus point try and when Neil Burns converted with the last kick of the game Derry had won by 29pts to nil.
City of Derry RFC Team V Seapoint; Rory Squires, David Ferguson, Sam Duffy, Adam Bratton, Chris Cooper, Steven Dickey, John Burns, Stephen Corr, Andrew Semple, Neil Burns, Simon Logue, Stuart Simpson, David Funston, David Graham, Ali Beckett, Replacements; Ross Harkin, David Houston, Craig Huey, Richard Baird, Ian Bratton.
City of Derry RFC Team V Highfield RFC; Rory Squires, David Ferguson(Capt), Sam Duffy, David Houston, Chris Cooper, Steven Dickey, John Burns, Stephen Corr, Andrew Semple, Neil Burns, Simon Logue, David Funston, David Graham, Neil Brown, Ali Beckett. Replacements; Ger Collins, Cathal Creggan, Adam Bratton, Craig Huey, Richard McCarter.
