City of Derry Rugby Club had a convincing victory on Saturday last at Judges Road when they defeated old rivals Armagh by a convincing 37pts to 3pts. Derry carried on from where they left off in the first half of their All Ireland League victory the previous weekend away to Old Wesley in Dublin when they produced some scintillating passages of rugby once again to obliterate the opposition as if they were unworthy to be on the same pitch. Derry scored five tries of quality to emphasise the gulf in class between these two old foes who for two seasons in Junior Rugby produced games of intensity and physicality in which the result was always in doubt to the final whistle.
For pictures CLICK HERE – Many Thanks To Photogrpaher Bernard Doherty
The Armagh President Andrew Nesbitt said after the game “I feel City of Derry have progressed since we last met and we as a team have stood still. The skill levels of your players is a credit to your coaches and we got a lesson in rugby today, we have a long way to go to get to where City of Derry are at but if we want to progress then Derry are our benchmark”.
The weather at Judges was autumnal and ideal for running rugby and City of Derry showed their intentions from the very start with attack attack being the order of the day. Richard McCarter was orchestrating every forward movement from Derry be it strong driving play from the forwards or long cut out passes to stretch the opposition defense in the wide channels or creating space running himself or kicking for field position, McCarter had it all. The Derry back row of Stephen Corr, Richard Baird and Mark Walker complemented each other and Walker in particular was outstanding all through making many decisive breaks in behind the Armagh defense creating havoc.
Derry were 7pts up within five minutes when quick ruck ball as result of good work from David Witherow and Brian Prue allowed scrum half Andrew Semple release Richard McCarter to find the improving Adam Parke to touch down for a try and with Richard McCarter converting it looked like it was going to be a long afternoon for Armagh. Adam Parke who came from Coleraine in the off season had an outstanding game and produced a Man of the Match performance.
The Derry scrum was dominant all through and the new front row combination of Chris Shields, Cathal Creggan and Gareth Beattie not only gave their back line go forward ball from the scrum they were prominent at ruck, maul and in the loose. The second row of Brian Prue and David Witherow were a formable pair all through and when they combined on ten minutes to put Mark Walker through on a galloping run there was only going to be one result with the defensive line broken. Richard McCarter was there to support Walker and he found centre Chris Barber to score his second try in two weeks and with McCarter converting it was 14pts to nil for the Judges Road men.
Derry produced a powerful scrum in their own half on 20 minutes driving Armagh back and wheeling them at the same time, the referee gave off side against Derry and Armagh out half James McBriar converted the resulting penalty to give his team their only points of the game and reduce the arrears to 14pts to 3pts. Mark Walker produce again on 26 minutes with a fine drive supported by Richards Baird and Stephen Corr was on hand to pickup and score an unconverted try from the resulting ruck. McCarter added another penalty following more Derry pressure on 35 minutes and Derry ‘s lead was 22pts to 3pts.
The final score of the first half was all about forward pressure and with a line out catch and drive by Prian Prue supported by Gareth Beattie and Chris Shields the ball came to a marauding David Witherow who picked up and drove over the top of a the ruck amid ecstatic roars of delight as he touched down for an unconverted try on the stroke of half time. The referee blew the half time whistle and Derry took a 27pts to 3pts to the break.
Armagh came out in more determined mood in the second half and Derry found it difficult to get any real momentum going. City of Derry may have taken their foot of the gas as the second half wore on, the game was virtually over as a contest and some Derry minds might have been turning to their important Ulster Senior Cup Semi Final next Saturday at home to Balllymena. Derry coaches Bevan Lynch and Mark Nicholl Mark Nicholl unloaded their bench early in the half to give everyone a run, Sam Duffy, Sam McAuley, David Houston, David Funston and David Graham brought fresh legs to the fray. Derry had to settle for a McCarter penalty half way through the half which brought the score to 30pts to 3 pts for Derry.
Derry awoke from their slumbers on 35 minutes and several good runs by Simon Logue, Josh Lewis and Ryan Campbell bought life back into game. Derry finally put the icing on the cake when a flowing move that involved backs and forwards resulted in the hard working David Graham getting in for an outstanding try in the corner and with McCarter converting it brought the final score to 37pts to 3pts for a deserved City of Derry victory.
City of Derry Team: : Chris Shields, Cathal Creggan, Gareth Beattie, David Witherow, Brian Prue, Stephen Corr, Mark Walker, Richard Baird, Andrew Semple, Richard McCarter, Josh Lewis, Adam Parke, Chris Barber, Ryam Campbell, Simon Logue. Replacements: Sam Duffy, Sam McAuley. David Houston, David Funston. David Graham.
