Edenderry faced Railway Union this week in the Leinster League and are now still four points clear after a comfortable victory at home in Coolavacouse.
Derry started the stronger and went into a 9 point lead from the boot of Brian O'Carroll as the pressure on the Railway defense forced the away side into a number of infringements which Derry were happy to kick at goal and put themselves into a commanding position early on. Derry controlled the game throughout the first half, dominating possession and putting serious pressure on the Railway scrum and lineout and it was late in the half before Railway got points on the board also from a penalty, but they did then add another to bring themselves back into the game, leaving the score line at 9 - 6.
Perhaps the away sides 2 penalties and the narrowing of the scoreline was just what Derry needed to get them going, the homeside shifted up a gear and the catch up didnt last long as the pressure on the away sides line eventually became too much, quick ball from a ruck on the left allowed Shane Kelly to quickly spin it out to Brian O'Carroll, the Derry 10 immediately moved it on with well weighted pass to Jack Kilmurray on the right wing, Kilmurray in turn rounded his man and scored a try to the right of the posts, cleverly managing to narrow the angle for the conversion which O'Carroll slotted. At the break it was 16 - 6 to the homeside.
Derry went on to score another two tries in the second half, Kearney grounded one after the Derry pack bullied their way over the line from a lineout from 10 yards and Tom Crampton added another after a great burst from a scrum saw the Derry 8 make a powerful run, literally knocking over a few defenders before scoring a very impressive individual effort. Neither were converted. Railway did add a try in the second half after a scrum close to the Derry line but in truth the away side never really looked like causing an upset against the league leaders.
Derrys final two league games are away from home, they travel to Malahide on the Sunday the 21st of March and a week later they travel to Swords. Derry will finished second in the league now at worst and therefore promotion looks a certainty but this side will undoubtedly want to push on and win the final 2 games to finish top and win the league.
