City of Derry relegated after victory over Clonmel not enough to retain All Ireland League place

City of Derry 17, Clonmel 8

(Clonmel win 41-34 on aggregate. Derry relegated from All Ireland League)

In the end even the weather seemed to conspire against them.

Daybreak Saturday saw the blue skies which have teased perfect playing conditions all week give way to torrential rain and wind which would last the duration of City of Derry's AIL relegation play-off second leg against Clonmel.

Beginning 16 points down, the omens were already against Richard McCarter's men but a tall order had just become taller.

Yet for 42 minutes the impossible looked possible. Probable even. A textbook opening half had saw Derry force a penalty try and turn around with a 10-0 lead. Better still, they would be facing only 14 men after half-time after Clonmel's Tony Cantwell was sent off for for a head high challenge of Cathal Cregan.

Seven points from safety, but the Green and Black were exactly where they wanted to be.

Yet such was the tightrope that Derry were treading after last week's 33-17 defeat in Tipperary, that they were only ever one slip from disaster and disaster duly struck 43 minutes in. With conditions deteriorating and handling become trickier by the minute, home winger Paddy Blenerhassett spilled a long, hopeful Clonmel kick forward. He gathered it at the second attempt but by that stage visiting winger Henry Buttimer had closed the kick just enough to block the clearing kick and storm over for a try Clonmel had never threatened beforehand.

Derry still led and had time to respond but the try proved a doubled edged psychological blow as the wind was taken out of home sails and 14 man Clonmel suddenly had something to defend.

Now needing two converted tries just to force extra-time, there would be another cruel twist in a season of little luck for the Judges Road men as their constant pressure eventually paid off in the 79th minute when young substitute Joel Smyth was the man over on the right wing. The conversion was tricky but Alex McDonnell made it look easy and as it clock ticked to 80 minutes Derry were back to within one converted try of an unlikely salvage job.

Except they weren't. Despite a game peppered by stoppages, referee Padraic Reidy decided there would be NO injury time. Clonmel understandably had looked to run down the clock at every opportunity. With 14 men and the stakes so high, any team would have done the same but it's doubtful even the Tipperary men were expecting McDonnell's kick to finish the game. Indeed, the irony of a Sunday's Well penalty 10 MINUTES into injury time on the final day of the regulation season condemning Derry to the play-off won't have been lost on anyone at Judges Road.

Yet when the dust settles, Richard McCarter and everyone at the City of Derry will know their senior status wasn't lost in this second leg. It wasn't even lost in the disappointing late collapse in Ardgaoithe seven days previously, a finale which saw the two late tries and ultimately left Derry with too much to do at home.

League tables don't lie but the frustration is it wasn't a lack of talent which cost Derry their senior status. The last five games of the season - games which brought three victories and two losing bonus points - illustrate that.

Yet the fact Derry scored 145 of their 317 points across the season - almost half their season's tally - in those five games is both positive and damning. It shows this Derry squad can easily compete at All Ireland League level but also questions why it took until their senior status was in grave danger for them to consistently produce the type of form they are capable of.

Those are questions which will be pondered over a close season that will end of City of Derry back in Qualifying One for the first time since 2010. That's the simple reality. What they must also consider though is that this squad is AIL level and if they stick together, tough these hard times out, then they are more than capable of restoring Derry to the All Ireland League rugby and more importantly, staying there.

City of Derry: Adam Marley, Catahl Cregan, Sam Duffy, Gerard Doherty, Cein McColgan, David Brown, Stephen Corr, Aaron Deery, Jamie Millar, Alex McDonnell, Callum O'Hagan, David Lapsley, David Graham, Paddy Blenershassett, Ross McLaughlin. (Replacements) Chris Shields, Steven Duffy, Jack Sayers, Dara Gill, Joel Smyth.

Clonmel: Niall Campion, Brandon Delecato, Billy O'Kelly, Jack Lonegan, James Corbett, Rob Wynne, Diarmuid Devaney, John Gallagher, Dylan Cadogan, Luke Noonan, Henry Buttimer, Andy Daly, Luke Hogan, Greg Carroll, Darren Cass. (Replacements) Mikey Lonergan, Matty O'Toole, Tony Cantwell, Eddie Phelan, James Kehoe.

Referee: Padraic Reidy