Judges Road men lose narrowly

The game was all square at half time and close throughout until Rainey scrum-half Scott Gibson seized his opportunity with a quick tap and go penalty on half-way which allowed him to run in for a converted try that proved the game changing moment.

Derry had the wind in the first half but Rainey took the play to the visitors though great defence by the Judges Road men held their line at bay.

The home side had a great chance when they worked the ball left but their winger kicked the ball dead instead of keeping it in hand.

Derry lost loose-head prop, Chris Shields, to injury and was replaced by young Ross Harkin who had a magnificent game from there to the finish.

Mark Nicholl’s men worked their way into the game slowly as captain David Funston, Adam Bratton and scrum-half Stuart Simpson, along with Richard McCarter, got their team moving forward.

Following good pressure 15 minutes in, the Derry forwards produced a good drive with Stephen Corr, David Houston, Richard Baird and David Ferguson taking play inside the Rainey half. From there, Simpson linked with McCarter to release Funston who made the incisive break to release winger Johnny Kennedy on the wing and he sprinted in from 20m to touch down in the corner for a great try. With McCarter converting, the Judges Road were 7-0 in front.

Derry missed a penalty from half-way on 23 minutes but the drop-out was chaotic as a Derry player foot trapped the ball but a fellow player in front picked the ball to give the Rainey a penalty. The Magherafelt men kicked for touch and a line-out catch from Peter Stewart set up a great forward drive to give former Derry player Stephen Rutledge the opportunity to touch down. When full-back McCloskey converted it was all square.

Rainey were now on top with great work from their forwards Tim Barker and Neil O’Kane who were carrying ball at every opportunity to keep them going forward. The Magherafelt men were in for a try on 26 minutes but a drop pass with the line at their mercy cost them a seven pointer. A further miss from a penalty on the half hour mark saw the side’s go in level at half time with Derry somewhat fortunate.

Derry started the second half in spectacular fashion with the outstanding Baird to the fore. They were almost in for a try within two minutes but were turned over on the Rainey line.

Rainey got out of jail with a relieving kick and set up a series of attacks inside the Derry 22. Three kick-able penalty opportunities within 20m were spurned in favour of scrums or line-outs as Derry lost David Houston to the sin bin but the Judges Road men survived. In the process, Rainey lost wing-forward Lees to the bin as well.

The defining moment came half through the second period when ‘Man of the Match’ Gibson, not for the first time, produced a moment of magic to score that individual try from half way. With McCloskey converting, Rainey were in front by 14-7.

The home side were back on the attack on 64 minutes as Derry were caught holding on in the tackle 25 metres from the posts. McCloskey gratefully slotted the penalty to put the home team 17-7 up.

Derry stormed back into the attack and their continuity of movement was outstanding as they pushed up field with Baird, Stephen Ferguson, Funston, Harkin and Corr outstanding.

The Judges Road men won a 5m line out on 72 minutes and pulled a classic move from the training ground. David Ferguson found Baird in the line-out and a move around the front saw Corr find Cathal Cregan who crashed over for an unconverted try in the corner to put Derry right back in the game at 17-12.

The visitors had chances as they upped their level but were unable to complete that final pass. Rainey eventually got themselves down field and won a penalty to seal victory when McCloskey kicked an easy penalty to put the Rainey 20-12 ahead with just four minutes left and leave Derry outside of bonus point range.

Nicholl’s men though showed great resolve to come storming back and put Kennedy through in front of the posts but he was brought down illegally with the line in sight. A quick penalty was taken by Kennedy but Rainey encroached to kill play and the referee awarded a penalty try. With McCarter converting with a drop kick it was the last play of the game and Rainey had held on with Derry salvaging a bonus point in defeat.

City of Derry; Josh Lewis, David Graham, David Funston(Capt), Adam Bratton, Johnny Kennedy, Richard McCarter, Stuart Simpson, Chris Shields, David Ferguson, Sam Duffy, Stephen Corr, David Houston, Richard Baird, Mark Walker, Stephen Ferguson, Replacements; Gareth Beatty, Cathal Cregan, Ross Scott, Phil Duffy, Jack Hargan.