ULSTER CUP: Harlequins ease past City of Derry

Belfast Harlequins 35 City of Derry 10
Belfast Harlequin's Jonathan Siri City of Derry Rob McArterBelfast Harlequin's Jonathan Siri City of Derry Rob McArter
Belfast Harlequin's Jonathan Siri City of Derry Rob McArter

Belfast Harlequins easily progressed through the first round of the First Trust Senior Cup by putting City of Derry to the sword at Deramore in a thumping four-try victory over the visitors.

Quins winger Peter Dunlop scored three tries while out-half Roger Kirkwood kicked three conversions and three penalties for a personal haul of 15 points.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It was Derry who opened the scoring after just three minutes when winger Tiernan Thornton got on the end of a chip from Neil Burns though Burns was unable to convert.

Belfast Harlequin's Peter Dunlop scores against City of DerryBelfast Harlequin's Peter Dunlop scores against City of Derry
Belfast Harlequin's Peter Dunlop scores against City of Derry

From there, though, it was pretty much all Quins. Kirkwood kicked a 13th minute penalty after Derry second row Chris Cooper was sin-binned.

Kirkwood’s kick through on 19 minutes led to the home side’s first try when Dunlop pounced on the bobbling ball after Burns failed to gather it. Kirkwood converted.

He did so again when full-back Mark Glover scored in the 21st minute when player-coach Richard McCarter also failed to hold another kick through by the Quins’ out-half.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Just either side of the half-hour mark Kirkwood slotted two penalties which meant Quins led 23-5 and this became 30-5 two minutes before half-time when Dunlop bagged his second, after a great solo run, with Kirkwood again adding the extras with a superb touchline conversion.

Belfast Harlequin's Peter Dunlop scores against City of DerryBelfast Harlequin's Peter Dunlop scores against City of Derry
Belfast Harlequin's Peter Dunlop scores against City of Derry

The second half was a much more sedate affair scoring wise, though the ever eager Dunlop completed his hat-trick after Quins attacked deep off a Derry clearance. This time Kirkwood missed the conversion from a difficult angle.

To their credit, even though the game long gone for Derry, the Judges Road side held Quins at bay and even managed their own score when number eight Adam Bretton burst through to touch down near the end, though Burns was unable to convert.

Belfast Harlequins: M Glover, A Pollock, M Wylie, P McVitty, P Dunlop, R Kirkwood, M Corry; M McGrath, S Weir, J Harrison, D Annett, K McKenzie, N Montgomery, J Siri, D Marshall

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Subs: C Sarguson, M Logan, O McCollum, D McMaster, M Ormiston

City of Derry: R McCarter, C Cummings, I Bratton, D Graham, T Thornton, N Burns, D Devine; R Harrison, C Crossan, S Duffy, G Doherty, C Cooper, C Logan, J Burns, A Bratton

Subs: O Ferry, J Fawcett, S Duffy, P Duffy, J Beattie

Referee: C Busby