2010-12-18 / / :
City of Derry RFC 26pts Armagh 15pts
The character of any good team can be determined when they are under pressure to perform and the questions that are asked by the opposition seem impossible to answer and the answers are delivered with a performance that epitomises everything about the Club and the Community they represent. City of Derry Rugby Club 1st Team did that on Saturday last when they showed courage, self belief, strength of character and a never say die attitude to defeat their closest rivals Armagh in their quest to retain their Ulster Junior League title and deny the opposition any return from the game with a try in the last minute of injury time.
On a beautiful day weather wise at Judges the scene was set for the showdown that would either determine whether Armagh would virtually clinch the League title with victory having beaten City of Derry earlier in the season at home or a Derry win that would put the home side back on level terms with everything to play for by both teams until the end of the season.
Armagh played with the wind in their back first half and in the first minute following a knock on by the home team James Morton the Armagh Captain drove forward to create space for his out half Adam Gowing to put his team into a three point lead with a drop goal. Armagh were penalised from the restart, but out half Richard McCarter hit the post from 30 metres.
Afterwards Eddie Irwin the Armagh winger had a very telling run but was stopped on the Derry 22, and the nearest Derry came to scoring was when full back Peter Henderson kicked ahead but was beaten to the touch down but forced a five metre scrum. Derry were trying to open the play through the wide channels at every opportunity and after a number of penalties wing forward Karl Gemmell forced his way over at the corner to give Derry a 5pts to 3pts lead.
Armagh lost their influential out half Adam Gowing from the kick-off which caused disruption in their backs. Lee Manu moved to out half and Johnny Allen went into centre with Richard Morton coming onto the wing. The last action of the first half saw Armagh’s Johnny Allen make a great break deep into Derry territory and from quick ruck ball winger Eddie Irwin got in at the corner for a try to give Armagh an 8pts to 5 pts lead at the break
The second half started with Derry having the majority of play, Captain Bob McKillop was leading from the front and was showing an example that was replicated by his fellow pack members. Mark Walker at wing forward was having an outstanding game considering it was his first outing at this level for over three months due to injury. Sam Duffy, Sam McAuley and especially Stephen Corr who was Man of the Match were dominating at breakdown and in the set phase.
Richard McCarter punished an Armagh lineout infringement with a penalty after fifteen minutes of the second half to level the scores at 8pts each. McCarter who has returned to form over recent games with aplomb became more influential as the game progressed. Soon afterwards the resurgent Andrew Semple scrum half and McCarter axiom was to the fore when McCarter dropped a goal to give Derry the lead. Two minutes later Richard McCarter charged down a Manu chip to run 50 meters and score a try under the post which he converted himself to give Derry a ten point lead.
With twenty minutes remaining Derry were on top and Stephen Corr got in for what looked to be a certain try but the referee was on the wrong side and disallowed the score which would have given Derry an unassailable lead which would have possibly eased them onto a fourth try and a bonus point victory, but it was not to be. The Armagh second row Phil Hill was sin binned and McCarter extended the Derry lead with a penalty to make it 21pts to 8pts and the game looked out of Armagh’s grasp with Derry well on top.
The game entered injury time and with six minutes over time Armagh scored a break away try through substitute Andrew Willis and a touchline conversion by full back Johnny Steenson bringing the score to 21pts to 15pts to Derry and would have given Armagh a bonus point for finishing within seven points of Derry which would have been a disaster for the North West men when they needed a clear four points win victory.
With injury time ticking away Derry ran everything, Gemmell for Derry was sin binned for holding on and Armagh kicked for touch hoping the full time whistle would be blown. Derry won the line out and David Witherow epitomized the Derry spirit when he drove forward 20 metres blasting the opposition out of the way. Semple found McCarter who produced an exquisite pass to Rudi Moore on the wing who showed his new found confidence to power his way to the line to score in the corner to the adulation of the Derry team and supporters. This decisive score denied Armagh a bonus point to put Derry firmly back in the League Title race.
Derry Coach Bevan Lynch was ecstatic after the game and said “ I thought we didn’t play to our full potential today but this win puts us in charge of our own destiny for the rest of the season. I am proud of my players that they had the strength of character to come back from the mistakes they made during the game to produce what was required for the Club. They have worked hard as a squad to get the required result today and they have shown that fortune favors the brave. When the chips were down the self belief and commitment of the whole team shone through. We can now look forward to the rest of the season and especially to next week when we travel to Monivea in the S/Final of the AIB All Ireland Junior Cup”.
City of Derry Team; Peter Henderson, Josh Lewis, David Funston, Ryan Campbell, Rudi Moore, Richard McCarter, Andrew Semple, David Witherow, Sam McCauley,
Sam Duffy, David Houston, Bob McKillop (Capt), Karl Gemmell, Mark Walker, Stephen Corr. Replacements; Jason Mitchell, Philip Brady.
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