Crunch encounter at Judges Road

The Belfast men are currently joint top of AIL along with Seapoint just five points ahead of City of Derry who are in fourth position three points behind third placed Greystones.

There are only three league fixtures remaining for all teams in AIL Three and following this weekends game Derry are away to Highfield in Cork and at home to Naas on Saturday, April 16.

The top four teams in the league are promoted this season due to restructuring of the league, so Saturday’s fixtures at Judges Road is a must win fixture for Bevan Lynch’s men if they are to achieve their goal for the season.

Derry’s record against Instonians in the All Ireland League in past seasons has been poor to say the least. The last time both teams met was in season 2007-2008 when Derry lost at home 29-7. Instonians finished second in the league that year and were promoted while Derry finished bottom of the league and were relegated to Junior Rugby.

The two previous seasons prior to relegation, Derry were humiliated away to Instonians losing 54-0 in season 2006-2007 and they lost at home the season before that by 22-20.

City of Derry and Instonians have had interesting journeys rugby wise in the interim period since they last met in AIL Three.

The local men, following relegation in season 2007-2008, spent two hugely successful years in Junior Rugby before winning a famous playoff at Portadown last April to regain senior status to AIL Three. When Instonians were promoted to All Ireland League Division Two the same season as Derry were relegated to Junior Rugby, they only lasted in the higher ranks one season before finishing bottom of AIL Two and being relegated back to AIL Three.

Instonians come to Derry on Saturday having only lost only one game all season in the AIL and that was away to Greystones, in their second last game.

They rectified that blip last time out when they comprehensively defeated Banbridge 39-8, at Shaw’s Bridge.

City of Derry’s form took a downward spiral in February with narrow defeats away to Rainey and at home Ards who were languishing neat the bottom of the league. Derry got their season back on track in their last AIL game away to Nenagh when they scored a memorable try with the last play of the game which lasted over three minutes and seventeen phases later full back Peter Henderson touched down and Richard McCarter converted for a 23-17 victory.

City of Derry will look to their emphatic 35-0 victory over Instonians in the Ulster League at home last September in the build up to what could be the defining game of the season for both teams.

Bevan Lynch will point out that Instonians have been a very successful side since that game in Derry and there will have to be no complacency from his players.

Coach Lynch said earlier this week: “The players, coaches and supporters are really looking forward to Saturday and with a large crowd expected there won’t be much motivation needed to get the squad up for this most important game. “We had a good run out last Saturday down at Ballymena in the Ulster League when we had a good win 42-29. We are in good form and our expectations are high.”

City of Derry: Davy Witherow, Chris Shields, Sam McAuley, Stephen Duffy, Sam Duffy, Tom Patton, David Houston. Stephen Corr, Stephen Simms, Richard Baird, Chris Cooper, Philip Brady, Stephen Ferguson, Andrew Semple, Richard Peoples, Richard McCarter, David Funston, Ryan Campbell, Simon Logue, William McCleery, David Murdock, Josh Lewis, Peter Henderson.