City of Derry have avoided a relegation play-off after picking up a bonus losing point against Skerries even though they lost 19-14.
The Judge's Road side went into the final game of the season knowing that, with their opponents two points below them, defeat could mean they would finish in ninth spot and face a play-off to keep their Division 2B place.
Not only did Derry need to get something from the game, they also needed Bective Rangers, the team level with them, to get nothing in Armagh.
Within ten minutes things had fallen apart for the Judge's Road men as they found themselves 12-0 down thanks to Skerries tries from Colin Doyle and Eoghan Carron, with Bective 9-7 ahead in Armagh.
Armagh stuck to their end of the bargain when they led 19-9 at the break, but it mattered little as Derry were out of losing bonus point range as well - still trailing 12-0.
Richard McCarter's team sparked into life at the start of the second half, with intercepted tries from Neil Burns and Joe Dunleavy putting them 14-12 in front.
Skerries recovered from that setback to regain the lead with their third try on the hour mark.
The Judge's Road men couldn't find that elusive try to get themselves back in front as the game ended 19-14, but in the end it was crucial as the five point gap meant that they secured a losing bonus point which took them one point ahead of Bective Rangers who lost 36-16 in Armagh.
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