Seven-try City of Derry face relegation play-off after injury time penalty 250 miles away!

All Ireland League, Division 2C
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City of Derry 49, Tullamore 28

Brilliant, breath-taking but ultimately devastating.

They say it's the hope that kills and for 84 minutes City of Derry had real hope. Avoiding the Division 2C relegation play-off was always a long shot but seven superb tries against promotion chasing Tullamore had the Judges Road men dreaming. They could have done no more.

City of Derry’s David Lapsley crosses the whitewash to score a try against Tullamore at Judges Road on Saturday. (Photo: George Sweeney)City of Derry’s David Lapsley crosses the whitewash to score a try against Tullamore at Judges Road on Saturday. (Photo: George Sweeney)
City of Derry’s David Lapsley crosses the whitewash to score a try against Tullamore at Judges Road on Saturday. (Photo: George Sweeney)

Two hundred and 50 odd miles away in Tipperary, fate seemed to be smiling. Bottom of the table Clonmel were leading Sunday's Well, the team Derry needed to leap frog. The final whistle at Judges Road brought only handshakes. There were no celebrations, only furrowed brows as all eyes turned to phones and updates from Ardgaoithe. Clonmel were leading 24-22 and had just missed an injury time penalty to win it. Surely that was it?

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It wasn't. Word came through they were still playing in the NINTH minute of injury time to be shortly followed by news of another Sunday's Well penalty, this time one they couldn't miss and with that City of Derry were kicked into a relegation play-off they were expecting but yet shocked at how they eventually landed in it.

It's not often a seven try romp with attacking rugby of the highest order is greeted by such numbness but Richard McCarter's men now face Clonmel in a two legged play-off, away on April 23rd with the return leg at Judges Road one week later. The loser will drop out of senior rugby.

It will take a couple of days for Derry to process this one but when the dust settles and the disappointment abates, they will realise they go into that play-off in fine form with three wins from their last five games and bonus points picked up in the two defeats. That's top four form and while it appeared marginally too late to avoid the play-off it offers reason for optimism heading into two games that will define Derry's short term rugby future.

Cathal Cregan scores a try for City of Derry against Tullamore at Judges Road on Saturday. (Photo: George Sweeney)Cathal Cregan scores a try for City of Derry against Tullamore at Judges Road on Saturday. (Photo: George Sweeney)
Cathal Cregan scores a try for City of Derry against Tullamore at Judges Road on Saturday. (Photo: George Sweeney)

Almost lost upon the final day drama was Derry's best display of the season. It wasn't as defensively perfect at the December victory over Omagh but the attacking brilliance of Simon Logue, Davy Graham and David Lapsley more than made up for any defensive deficiencies.

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Graham helped himself to a hat-trick of tries, Lapsley a brace and Cathal Cregan and Alex McDonnell one each with McDonnell converting all seven on his way to a personal tally of 19 points. Tullamore more than played their part in a game that was a delight for the spectator.

Conor McGuinness impressed throughout for the visitors and grabbed his side's opening two scores but in between a lovely Logue break took Derry half the length of the pitch from inside their own '22'. The only man who could keep pace with the full0back was the jet heeled Graham and a quick pass inside saw the centre run in under the posts for Derry's opener.

A second superb break from Logue proved the catalyst for Derry's second try, the full back held up but the ball eventually being worked left where Derry went through the phases to work over overlap that saw Gerard Doherty, just back from an early yellow card, feeding Lapsley to run in around the back for 14-12.

City of Derry‘s Alex McDonnell converts after David Graham’s first half try against on Saturday. (Photo: George Sweeney)City of Derry‘s Alex McDonnell converts after David Graham’s first half try against on Saturday. (Photo: George Sweeney)
City of Derry‘s Alex McDonnell converts after David Graham’s first half try against on Saturday. (Photo: George Sweeney)

Karl Dunne's penalty edged Tullamore back in front but a big finish to the half from Derry saw Callum O'Hagan this time held up inches from the line but captain Cathal Cregan was on the scene in an instant to pick up and dive over the line for a 21-15 interval lead.

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Two more Dunne penalties had Tullamore level within 10 minutes of the restart but Derry responded with a try out of nothing thanks to McDonnell who created his own space in midfield and danced through a gap only he could see to run in from half-way and then convert his own try.

The try of the day followed and again that man Logue was instrumental. Fielding a long forward kick from Tullamore, the full-back danced through couple of passes before producing an outrageous reverse pass to wrong foot most of the Tullamore defence Lapsley to eventually dart down the wing and run round t touch down under the posts.

Tullamore responded in style with winger Liam Farrell showing blistering pace of his own to leave the Derry defence standing for 35-28 but the remainder of the game was about Derry as Davy Graham show why he is such a lethal finisher with two more superb tries.

By that stage though there were as many eyes on mobile phones as on the action. For so long it looked like the great escape looked on but the drama wasn't finished in Ardgaoithe. That will now be Derry's next stop with 160 minutes to decide their senior status.

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City of Derry: Adam Marley, Cathal Cregan, Sam Duffy, Gerard Doherty, Cein McColgan, Jack Sayers, Darragh Gill, David Brown, Jamie Millar, Alex McDonnell, Calum O'Hagan, David Lapsley, David Graham, Paddy Blenerhassett, Simon Logue. (Replacements) Chris Shields, Steven Duffy, Joel Smyth, Jordan Mealiff, Cody Laverty.

Tullamore: Cathal Behan, Shayne Fleming, Mark Kennedy, Conor Dunne, Mike Tomey, Gavin Kelly, Conor McGuinness, Barry Bracken, Sam Burns, Craig Strong, Karl Dunne, Lance Batten, Cathal Farrell, Liam Farrell, Brian Geraghty. (Replacements) Cathal Feighery, James Griffin, Conor Dunne, Odhran McIntyre, Jack Delahunt.

Referee: Thomas O'Sullivan

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