City of Derry make it three from three after Monaghan victory

City of Derry 31, Monaghan 21​

Rejuvenated City of Derry made it three Championship Two victories in a row to move up to fourth in the league table after a Saturday's well deserved bonus point victory over Monaghan at Judges Road.

The weekend game was the second meeting of the clubs already this season and a second win for Neil Beddow's 'Green & Black' who are beginning to build momentum after a difficult start to the season.

September's Ulster Shield win over the Farney club was Derry's first victory in 13 months but it has served as a fork in the road with Beddow's rebuilt squad going from strength to strength against Academy and Grosvenor before Saturday's 10 point win which was finally secured by Sam Milligan's injury time try which also brought a crucial bonus point.

The result moves Derry into fourth in the table, still some 10 points behind the leading trio of Carrick, Limavady and Ards but Head Coach Beddow is delighted with how his squad is growing into their task.

"I've said this a few times but I always knew the first games were going to be difficult, just from knowing historically how strong Carrick, Ards and Limavady have been so, yeah, I'm really pleased with how we’ve turned it around and got the results now.

"Maybe the performances haven't been brilliant in every game but I'm certainly pleased we are picking up the results and moving in the right direction.

"Once we got the result against Academy in the league, we went to Grosvenor and got another result away from home which was something that had been missing at the club too, that ability to get an away victory which then fuels confidence. We are still building that confidence and getting the boys to believe in themselves a bit more.

"These results will help that. We now got to Larne on Saturday who themselves have had a tough start. Like us they’ve played all the top teams so I'm expecting a really tough challenge. They’re on their home patch and will be looking forward to welcoming a team that ultimately they wouldn't have played very often in their history."

City of Derry had started strongly on Saturday with tries from Cathal Cregan and David Lapsley handing the home side a short lived 14-0 lead which Monaghan wiped out with two converted tries of their own.

Alex McDonnell was once again Derry's inspiration, the out-half's superb break providing him the space to kick inside for Mark Scott to gather and finish under the posts for 21-14. However Monaghan refused to lie down, forcing a third try of their own to send the teams into half-time deadlocked at 21-21.

The second half failed to match the score-fest of the first and it wasn't until five minutes before the end that McDonnell's penalty finally edged Derry back into the lead, a lead that was rubber-stamped by Milligan's try which guaranteed five points with the last play of the game.

"There was not a lot between the teams for about 50 minutes," added Beddow, "But I felt Monaghan's scores came off our mistakes whereas our scores came from good rugby. Both teams cancelled each other or for periods as well with a few refereeing decisions causing the game to be very stop-start.

"It meant neither team got much fluency into their play and both struggled a bit with that; struggled to get anything going because the game was regularly being stopped for high tackles, scrums, line-outs or whatever.

"Listen, it is what it is and we are delighted to get across the line, get our five points and move on now to Larne this weekend."

Following this weekend's trip the Main Road, Derry will host Lisburn before a two week break and Beddow is anxious to continue their upward trajectory.

"Again, I did say we had a run into Christmas from which I expected to be able to pick up points," he explained, "We have that run again after Christmas until the last three games of the season when we flip from the start of the season and have Carrick, Ards and Limavady in our final three games.

"Listen, I'm optimistic. As long as we have the bodies on the pitch - and again we were missing quite a few players against Monaghan just through weddings, holidays, work, etc; injuries are now starting to come into the squad too which is natural after you've played six or seven games, but the boys are doing well.

"They are listening to what we are asking them to do. It's just now about limiting our mistakes a bit more. If we do that I think we will win games on a more comfortable footing."