Deadlock at City of Derry as injury time try saves Strabane in thrilling north west derby

City of Derry 24, Strabane RFC 24

Seven tries and six yellow cards meant one Championship Two classic as Neil Beddow's City of Derry became the first team this season to deny Strabane victory at Judges Road on Saturday afternoon.

The understrength 'Green & Black' overcame a notable injury list and the loss of both Simon Logue and Lewis Morton during the game to come within seconds of a shock victory before Strabane's brilliant scrum-half, Virgil Grootboom crashed over and full-back Christiaan Grobbler kicked his team level with the game's final touch.

Derry's late defiance was heroic, especially after late yellow cards for Cathal Cregan and Tiarnan Dillon meant the home side were finishing with 13 players. That numerical advantage proved decisive but Derry still came away with three valuable points after tries from Jamie Millar, Logue, Gabriel Evans and Mark Scott; an especially impressive stat given Derry were fielding 18-year-old Peter Danowski and 19-year-old Tom Beddow in the front row.

Both teenagers were superb but it was difficult to find a player in green who wasn't. Mark Scott again underlined what a talent he is while Stephen Corr was at his rampaging best with Simon Logue simply doing Simon Logue things.

The injury to Logue, after being caught late by Grootboom as he scored Derry's second try, could have been a watershed moment. Instead it allowed more youth to step forward and shine as Rio Oxley emerged off the bench to great effect while Jack Sproule’s shift from full-back to scrum-half had him looking like he'd been a First XV player for years.

It was a superb home display in the circumstances. And it had to be because this Strabane side oozes class.

In Grobbler Strabane had probably the game's stand-out player but his compatriot Grootboom wasn't far behind. Playing an excellent brand of quick passing, expansive rugby, some of the visitors' off-loads were breath-taking and it will take a very good team to stop the Co. Tyrone men securing a second successive promotion this season.

Derry went into the game already missing captain David Graham, centre David Lapsley and front row Nathan Campbell and the early signs weren't good for Beddow's men as Strabane were across the whitewash inside the opening ninety seconds.

Big front row Tom McGilloway was initially held up after the visitors won the kick-off back but the ever vigilant Grootboom spotted a gap on the recycle and darted over with Grobbler converting for 0-7.

False starts have become an unwanted feature of Derry's recent outings but Beddow’s men responded impressively to the setback though their caused wasn't helped by a 17th minute yellow card for Sproule after killing the ball on a dangerous Strabane attack.

Despite the numerical disadvantage Derry remained well in the game and after riding out the yellow card period without conceding, Derry were then handed an extra man when McGilloway needlessly knocked the ball out of Millar's hand following a penalty award.

It got better still for the home side when Strabane winger Adrian Crumley followed his team-mate into the 'bin' seconds before the break with Derry camped out on the visitors’ line. Indeed Derry extracted full value as Corr peeled off the back of the resulting scrum to feed Millar who scored. It was Scott who stepped up into kicking duties for the day and the versatile centre landed a fantastic conversion to ensure deadlock at half-time.

The home side then started the second half in fine fashion as a Gary McKinley drive took Derry midway inside the Strabane half. Derry recycled and when Logue spotted a gap no one else had, he darting between three Strabane backs to score in the corner. Unfortunately for Logue and for Derry, it was his to be his last involvement.

Still, 12-7 up Derry had turned the tide though they had little time to get comfortable as they were would be pegged back by the try of the match when a flowing Strabane move ended with James Hamilton placing Grobbler to score and convert to put the visitors back in front at 12-14.

Playing was swinging from end to end and next on the scoreboard was Evans whose 59th minute push over try had Derry 17-14 in front once again until it was then cancelled out by a Grobbler penalty on 67 minutes. The full-back's kick tied the teams at 17-17 and it then took a brilliant Benn Henderson covering tackle to stop Grootbottom going clear from another Grobbler break.

Strabane’s third yellow card of the day, this time for No. 8 Alru Goos, handed Derry the initiative for the closing stages and the ‘Green & Black’ once again took advantage with a try that was all about Mark Scott.

The centre's mesmerising run took Derry from inside their own half to deep in Strabane territory. He was held up but when Derry recycled, first right and then back left, Scott was on hand to dive over for a try he converted and a 24-17 lead that looked enough to get Derry over the line. However, there were to be a few more twists in the tale as the clock ticked past 80 minutes.

Seconds away from a first defeat of the season, Strabane swarmed forward after securing the kick-off. Derry held firm. At first.

But the return of Goos from the bin, coupled with the yellow cards for Cregan and Dillon, eventually proved too much with Grootboom spotting a gap on 86 minutes to finally break Derry's brave resolve. Grobbler's kick confirmed the draw and the fact Strabane remain the team to beat. It also confirmed Derry can mix it with the best in this division.

City of Derry: Gabriel Evans, Tom Beddow, Peter Danowski, Gary McKinley, Johnny Sproule, Tiarnan Dillon, Ryan Higgins, Stephen Corr, Jamie Millar, Simon Logue, Benn Henderson, Mark Scott, Nathan Cole, Lewis Morton Jack Sproule. (Replacements) Cathal Cregan, Isaiah Morris, Rio Oxley.

Strabane: Tom McGilloway, Ryan McKittrick, Callum Kelly, Conor Huey, Jack Graham, Reuben Orr, Jake McDevitt, Alru Goos, Virgil Grootboom, Johnny Orr, Hayden Scott, James Perry, Hanro Gous, Adrian Crumley, Christiaan Grobbler. (Replacements) James Hamilton, Adam Woods, William Finley.

Referee: Mark Millar