2011-02-12 / Rainey / AIL Away:
CITY OF DERRY 68 Ballyclare 7
City of Derry Rugby Club disposed of Ballyclare in some style in their 1st round Towns Cup Fixture at Judges Road on Saturday last when they outscored their opponents by ten try’s to one. Derry were leading by 33pts to nil at the break and this fixture did not prove to be any test in preparation for their All Ireland AIB Junior Cup Final against Armagh in Athlone next weekend.
City of Derry started with the team that will represent them next weekend in the final and were hoping for a stern workout to help in their preparation. Ballyclare were totally outclassed right from the start and this game proved to be a fruitless exercise going into such an important fixture.
Derry were on the scoreboard within five minutes of the start when scrum half Andrew Semple pounced on loose ball and out half Richard McCarter found full back Peter Henderson with a cut out pass to score a try to the left of the posts Mark O’Connor converted. Ten minutes later McCarter scored an individual unconverted try with a thirty five meter break.
Sam McAuley got his name on the scoreboard with a try after twenty five minutes when McCarter found Henderson who made the break before finding his hooker to scorre with O’Connor adding the extras. McAuley became the provider shortly afterwards, Derry moved the ball down the left wing through Joash Lewis and when the ball was moved swiftly across the backline to the right wing McAuley found second row Davis Houston who scored a try wide out and O’Connor converted.
Derry finished the first half with a try initiated by Semple who took a quick tap penalty to allow David Funston to make the break and find Henderson outside to score his second try which O’Connor converted to leave his team 33pts in front at half time.
The game was held up for a long period just after half time for an injury to one of the Ballyclare backs. Derry lost concentration on the restart and following a great cross field run by the Ballyclare Captain Colin Morrow he found his winger Richard McKinght who scored a try in the corner which out half McDonald converted. Derry were quick to retort when Man of the Match Richard McCarter intercepted to score a try under the post which he converted himself. From the kick off McCarter made another break before releasing No 8 Stephen Corr to score a try by the posts with McCarter converting.
Richard McCarter was running the game as he pleased and on twenty minutes he broke from his own 22 meter line before picking out David Funston on the half way line who out stripped the opposition to score under the posts with Henderson converting. Derry finished the game with two further try’s the first from Karl Gemmell which Corr converted, second from Andrew Semple which he converted himself.
City of Derry now look forward to their first All Ireland Final this weekend and a chance for this group of players to make history for the Club. The game kicks off in Athlone at 1pm on Saturday and a big crowd of supporters are expected to make the journey south. The Club are running a Supporters Bus and anyone wishing to travel should contact the Club.
City of Derry Team; Peter Henderson, Josh Lewis, David Funston, Jarred Bennett, Mark O’Connor, Richard McCarter, Andrew Semple, David Witherow, Sam McCauley,
Chris Shields, David Houston, Bob McKillop (Capt), Karl Gemmell, Mark Walker, Stephen Corr. Replacements; Jason Mitchell, Stephen Ferguson.
|
