AIL RUGBY: Armagh climb to top after home win over City of Derry

ARMAGH 18 CITY OF DERRY 6
Armaghs Neil FaloonArmaghs Neil Faloon
Armaghs Neil Faloon

This was the proverbial game of two halves, the difference was Armagh’s clinical edge at a rain lashed Palace Grounds which gave them two wins from two and put them top of the Ulster Bank AIL Division 2B table..

Both sides had come into the game in contrasting form, Armagh having already accounted for Ballymena and Dungannon on the domestic front and opened with a win in the AIL away to Bective.

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City of Derry, who have lost a plethora of players and lost their coaching personnel before the end of last season, were seeking a first win of the season - few have given them much hope of changing that against what has been a well drilled Armagh side.

Armagh, with the breeze in the first half dominated and should have been more than their 13 points lead at the break.

The hosts took the lead in the seventh minute wit a try for Neil Faloon, outhalf Harvey Young converting.

Two more penalties from Young on 17 and 25 minutes gave his side a 13-0 cushion at the break - but it should really have been more.

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Either side of the interval City of Derry had threated, two breaks from Matthew Gilmore got them into danger territory but they just could not follow it on.

Burns did kick a penalty for the visitors on 44 minutes, but the Armagh reaction was immediate with an impressive try.

The pack had presented prefect ball, Harry Doyle sent Young away and he in turn popped inside to Chris Colvin. The centre took a great line and carved through the cover before offloading to replacement winger Ryan Purvis and he had a little bit of work to do go get over for the unconverted try.

But it was Derry who went on to dominate the half Burns kicking a penalty on 57 minutes and missing one oon 62 to keep them in it.

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Having laid siege to the Armagh ‘22’ for a lengthy spell and referee Joy Neville also sin-binnning John Faloon after seven consecutive infringements by the hosts.

Hd they got over for a try and taken a losing bonus point it would have been just reward but they just could not break down the organised home defence.

In the end Armagh were pressing for a third try but it was Derry’s turn to defend stoutly.