City of Derry Rugby Club marked their return to All Ireland League Division 3 with a comprehensive victory away to Connemara on Saturday last. Derry continued their unbeaten run this season in all competitions when they outscored their opponents by six try’s to three and claimed a valuable bonus point in the process. Derry had tasted defeat on their two previous trips to Clifden when they were last in the All Ireland League but Saturday’s victory gives them the perfect start to a campaign that will see the top four teams in the league all promoted.
178 Photos on slideshow of City Of Derry v Connemara Blacks, courtesy of Bernard Doherty. Should anyone require a high resolution image simply E: bernarddoherty@hotmail.com
Bevan Lynch’s men had the best of the early stages and following early pressure in the Connemara half out half Richard Peoples dropped a goal from 25 meters out for a 3pts lead with just 5 minutes gone. Derry were running the ball at every opportunity with Peter Henderson at full back making some scintillating breaks linking with his wingers David Murdock and Jack Caithness who both were stopped just short of the line. Henderson got himself on the scoreboard on 16 minutes when following broken play inside the Connemara 22 he picked up and got in for an unconverted try in the corner to give Derry an 8pts to nil lead.
It was continuous attack from Derry and Connemara were just fire fighting to keep their line intact. Henderson again ran a loose kick back from the half way line on 25 minutes and a nice scissors switch inside with Stephen Simms opened the Western defence for Jack Caithness to score a try with a 20 meter run in between the posts, Peoples converted for a 15 pts lead. The Derry scrum was dominant with David Witherow, Sam McAuley and Sam Duffy having the step on their opponents all afternoon. David Houston was ruling the line out and Bob McKillop was making the hard yards and tackling everything that moved, McKillop just patrolled the pitch as if he owned it.
The Derry back row were all over their opposition with Ferguson, Corr and Simms winning ball on the ground and in the loose. Stephen Ferguson made a powerful 30 metre drive at the heart of his opponents taking out several players after 35 minutes. Simon Logue collected the ball and when Ryan Campbell had made a decoy run in the centre taking out two players there was space for Logue to pass to Henderson who linked with Captain Sam McAuley out on the wing to gallop in from 26 meters for an unconverted try.
Derry completed their scoring in first half injury time when the Connemara fullback Alan Keogh was sin binned and from the resulting penalty 5 meters out Derry opted for the scrum. Stephen Ferguson picked the ball at No 8 and drove forward before finding scrum half Logue who in turn released Richard People who showed his strength and power as went in for an unconverted try from 10 meters with two men hanging off him. That score gave Derry a 25pts to nil half time lead and the bonus point for scoring their fourth try.
Derry were once more dominant from the restart and had try’s from McAuley and Ryan Campbell within the first five minutes not been ruled out for forward passes it could have been a rout. Connemara eventually got out of their own half to score a fantastic break away try on 10 minutes, out half Sean Joyce chipped ahead for his centre to collect and find full back Keogh who evaded a couple of tacklers before passing inside for centre James O’Connor to complete a 65 meter move and score between the posts with Joyce converting the score was 25pts to 7pts for Derry.
This score gave Connemara some confidence and 3 minutes later they were back inside the Derry 22 again and their second row Cormack McDonagh got in for a good forwards try which Joyce converted to give them hope on a score line of 25pts to 14pts for Derry. Connemara were now playing their best rugby of the game and their tackling was physical with Derry finding it hard to break their line and create space and with the referee ignoring the offside line another try could have spelt real danger for Derry.
Bevan Lynch made his changes and brought Tom Patton on for Ferguson and Stephen Duffy on for McAuley and with fresh legs Derry eventually got quality possession for Richard Peoples after 25 minutes. Peter Henderson came into the line at pace and Peoples with a deceptive delayed pass released Man of the Match Henderson to run in under the posts from 25 meters and with Peoples converting it was 32pts to 14pts for Derry. Peoples repeated the same slight of hand 3 minutes later when with another delayed pass he set Simon Logue free this time 40 meters out to run between the posts for a converted try and at 39pts 21pts the game was over.
Connemara got a conciliation converted try on 30 minutes which completed the scoring and a convincing win for Derry by 39pts to 21pts. Derry’s next All Ireland League Fixture is this coming Saturday at home to Suttonians from Dublin and this should draw a bumper crowd to Judges Road for the first fixture in the AIL for three seasons.
City of Derry Team: Davy Witherow, Sam McAuley, Sam Duffy, Bob McKillop, David Houston, Stephen Corr, Stephen Ferguson, Stephen Simms, Andrew Semple, Richard Peoples, David Murdock, Ryan Campbell, Simon Logue, Jack Caithness, Peter Henderson. Replacements: Stephen Duffy, Chris Shields, Tom Patton, Richard Baird, Nic Donnell..
Connemara 21 – 39 City of Derry
Sat.2 Oct. – Derry play it cool in Connemara.
City of Derry returned to the All Ireland League with a hard working bonus point win against Connemara in Cliften.
Derry Seconds had a rest weekend.
Derry Thirds, had a easy win against a courageous but weakened Portadown side
The Casualty wards were full after Carnage in Carndonagh as the Fourths battled to a narrow defeat against the Inishowen men losing 17 – 19
The Under 19s, on the road again, had a big win against Letterkenny.
Debutant scores Hatrick against former team!
City of Derry Under 19’s kicked off their league campaign with an away victory over near neighbours Letterkenny. New recruit to the Derry side, Johnny Kennedy from Letterkenny, scored a hatrick of tries from the wing position. A special word of thanks goes out to U17 coach Nathan Deeney for travelling with the side as the usual coach had work commitments and could not travel!
The game started brightly and it was not long before the Derry team got on the scoreboard through a well worked move when centre O’Kane crossed for a score, this was converted by outhalf Keys who had a pleasing day with the boot. The forwards were putting the opposition under pressure and when another ball was moved wide it came to Johnny Kennedy on the wing where he finished well, again this was converted bringing the score to 14 – 0. shortly after this prop Ciaran Allen had to leave the field with a neck and shoulder injury, he was replaced by Rory Gallagher. The substitution did not affect the flow of the game and the City boys went on to score two more converted tries, Kennedy getting his second and centre Knox getting in on the act. This left the half time score at 28 nil to the visitors.
The second half was not long gone when Derry full back Bratton scored a good try again converted by Keys. It was then after some good interplay by the forwards that flanker Henderson crashed over, this time the kick was missed! A penalty was awarded to the Derry team and the kick was made by keys again to keep the scoreboard moving. Another injury this time to the home sides prop meant that the scrums went uncontested and from this the game proceeded to get quite scrappy. The visitors gave away a lot of needless penalties which the home side took advantage of and kicked one to get the scoreboard moving. Again good back play resulted in three more tries, two of which were converted, by Keys, O’Kane for his second and the last to Kennedy to complete his hatrick. With the game over as a contest the city boys were guilty of letting in a score through bad defence and lack of discipline at the tackle area!
All in all it was a pleasing result but the amount of errors and penalties given away was far to high throughout. The new stricter policing of the laws at the breakdown and tackle area have to be worked on and mistakes eradicated to try and stop possession and momentum being given away so cheaply!
The forwards played well and supported each other well, some good runs by the big men led to good go forward ball for the backs which showed with 8 of the 9 tries coming from the back division. A word of mention has to go to big Killian Doherty who took to the field with a slight injury and played an important part, other forwards who showed well were Crawford, Henderson and skipper Spratt. It was a day for the backs however and outhalf Keys ruled the back line well and amassed a personal tally of 20 points but the Man of the Match must go to new boy Johnny Kennedy for his hatrick in the unfamiliar position of winger.
With some hard work in training and the right attitude this side can do well this year as long as they can stay injury free! All new players of this age group are welcome to come along any Tue and Wed night to join in.
Next week the Derry team are at home in the league to Ballymoney, the game will be played as the curtain raiser to the 1st XV first AIL game at home in three seasons so come along at 1300 and give the boys your support.
