City of Derry Head Coach Richard McCarter gives his verdict on Ulster Championship League One victory over CIYMS at Judges Road on Saturday.
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00:00 It's another good bonus point win, never easy playing the same team two weeks in a row but
00:04 you've got the job done.
00:05 Yeah, that's what we said going into the game, it's never easy when this happens because
00:08 they come down with a lot of motivation and they'll create their own narrative as to why
00:12 they lost last week but for us it was just important to get the attitude right, we knew
00:16 we were capable of winning it, start well and put them to bed.
00:21 I think we did thought the first half was excellent, we left a couple of scorers out
00:23 there but at half time it was more about how many we could go on a win by.
00:29 We were slightly disappointed we didn't go on to score more tries but at this stage of
00:32 the season it's about the win firstly and then getting the bonus point.
00:35 I mean you see they did have a point to prove and the first five minutes they got their
00:38 try and it looked like they were going to make it really hard but it was a very, very
00:41 impressive response.
00:42 Yeah, I checked my watch, we actually didn't touch the ball for the first five or six minutes
00:47 and they were deservedly in front but as you say it was an emphatic response to score,
00:52 to go back to seven all and then score straight from the kick off again was a real sucker
00:56 punch for them.
00:57 As I say it looked like we were going to run riot and maybe get a few more tries before
01:01 half time but 22-7 at half time put us in a pretty comfortable position.
01:05 A couple of big performances in there too, I'm thinking even maybe the boys, the likes
01:09 of Owen Coyle have done very, very well, Jake McDivitt another great performance.
01:13 There's boys there that are really, really stepping up to the plate.
01:15 Yeah, that's been the pleasing thing about this season but particularly the last month
01:19 or so we've been able to rotate that pack, players unavailable for various reasons and
01:23 the guys coming in haven't dropped off the standards.
01:27 You mentioned Owen, I thought he was excellent.
01:30 He played in the first game of the season against Banbridge but today he was superb.
01:33 The speed of ruck ball that he was getting away was excellent, kept our attack flowing
01:38 and you can be really proud of his performance.
01:41 We talked about the importance of getting the bonus points, you've got the bonus points,
01:45 you've got a bit of momentum, it's just a matter of keeping it going at this point?
01:50 Yep, I've always been a take it one game at a time kind of a person and that's exactly
01:54 what we have to do.
01:55 There's no point in looking too far ahead because you take your eye off the ball.
01:59 So it was important to win, great to get the bonus point and we know next Saturday is a
02:03 massive game up in Cook, it's an 8 or 10 pointer.
02:06 So we've a lot of motivation to go there now.
02:08 A couple of wee injuries, everybody alright coming off there just ahead of Cook because
02:11 that's going to be a big match?
02:13 Yeah, a few wee bumps and bruises but just the nature of the game, we're very, very physical
02:19 in that second half and they probably shortened up their game plan a wee bit which made it
02:24 more physical.
02:25 I don't think our backs saw too much ball in the second half but everyone's unscathed
02:28 hopefully and there's a few more to come back in so selection will be tasty this week.
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