Thirds secure narrow win

City of Derry III...15

‘A win is a win’ was the feeling after City of Derry Thirds triumphed away to neighbours Coleraine on Saturday past. On a slow and muddy pitch, adverse refereeing decisions and ill-discipline almost cost the thirds in a game they should have comfortably won.

The hosts started brightly and the first 15 minutes of the game was played inside Derry’s ‘22’, with only well organised and aggressive defending from 1-15 keeping the hosts at bay.

With Coleraine trying to play with width Andy Miller reacted first to a dropped pass to kick through and pick up brilliantly to feed Mark Boyd who quickly passed to Cathal Harkin and the winger showed great pace to finish under the posts for a 5-0 lead.

Coleraine were clearly rattled as Derry started to dominate proceedings, but just as Derry threatened to score a second, a loose pass was picked up by the Coleraine centre to run in from half way for a converted try for a 7-5 lead.

Almost immediately the local men encamped themselves in the Coleraine half, and with play driving forward to the Coleraine line, Adam Kyle and McDuff combined from a quick penalty to send Harkin in the corner for his second try, with Richard Keys adding a superb touchline conversion for a 12-7 half-time lead.

Derry became increasingly frustrated with the referee, thinking tacklers were not being penalised for not rolling away, and for sealing off the ball at ruck time.

The hosts brought the score to 12-12 early in the second half when they created an overlap after a series of quick penalties. This was how the game stayed until the very last minute.

With 15 minutes to go the referee sin-binned two Derry players within a minute, for questioning his penalty decision.

Earlier in the season this Derry team may have lost their heads, and the game.

But currently there is a real feel good factor within the squad, and the 13 men showed great team spirit to dominate the game in the last 10 minutes, and with a minute to go they had played themselves into a penalty in front of the posts.

Young Richard Keys, who had just missed with another shot, showed great composure to slot the three points. The visitors held possession from the restart to play down the clock and win the game. It was a great effort from the whole team.