Ulster Bank AIL 2B 11th November 2017
Scorers: The Pack(1*Try), Barker(1*Try), Bloomfield(1*Try), Sterling(1*Try), Quinn(1*Try), (1*Pen Try), Magrath(5*Conv)
It was a major occasion in the history of City of Derry on Saturday as they marked the clinching of a lucrative sponsorship deal which will enable them to develop and expand facilities at their already fine complex at Judge's Road, which has been renamed The Craig Thompson Stadium. But their on-field problems will not be easily solved. While the attitude of the players could not be questioned, they were rarely in the game as Rainey dominated in almost every department to win 40-5 and move a point closer to leaders Old Crescent at the top. Derry remain second from bottom, with one win from seven outings.
Conditions for the County Derry derby were much better than expected, with a typical burst from prop O'Hagan putting Rainey on the front foot from the off. Winning most of the individual battles, they parked in the home half, but declined to kick at goal in their quest of tries. Unfortunately, their catch and drive game continues to frustrate and mystify them. Hooker Roberts had a stormer of a game, yet the lineout just did not function.
The scorer was finally troubled after 17 minutes. When Derry were driven off their own ball at a scrum, Lamberton dispossessed his opposite number for the pack to take it on over the line. Opinion is divided as to who actually scored - Pritchard, McSwiggan or possibly Quinn? No8 McMurray caught the eye on several occasions as Rainey spread it wide at every opportunity and a powerful little burst from Roberts led to Barker going over for try number two. O'Hagan and captain Damien McMurray were withdrawn with minor knocks as Rainey continued to impress and when McMurray picked up from a scrum, former Ireland U19, Dungannon and Derry scrum-half Bloomfield was on hand to score.
More than half an hour had passed before Derry reached the Rainey 22'. Taking inspiration from New Zealand scrum-half Rogers-Holden, they hammered away at the line before they finally created numbers on the left to turn round 19-5 behind. From the restart, Rainey were camped on the Derry line and forced a number of penalties. Opting for a scrum in front of the posts, they drove for the line and looked sure to score when the referee awarded a penalty try and binned a Derry back-row forward.
Minutes later, McCusker hared upfield from the back of a lineout with Roberts arriving in support and when the ball was flashed along the line, full-back Quinn cut inside to touch down at the posts. Derry had a centre yellow carded, but they battled well at the breakdown and had a promising move halted by a forward pass. Rainey picked up their sixth try when Sterling took a crafty offload from O'Neill to score in the corner. Out-half Magrath landed a magnificent conversion,his fifth of the afternoon. Apart from that, his touch kicking was of a very high standard.
TEAM : O.Quinn, R.Lamberton, D.McMurray, J.Mc Ilroy, M.O'Neill, A.Magrath, J.Bloomfield, K.Donaghy, B.Roberts, T.O'Hagan, J.McCusker, T.Barker, M.McCusker, J.Mc Murray, P.Pritchard.
REPLACEMENTS : A.McSwiggan, F.Quinn, P.Stewart, N.Sterling, A.Donaghy.