ENNISKILLEN U-14S .................. 31
PORTADOWN U-14S .................... 5
Enniskillen's U-14 side continued their successful season defeating the Ulster conference winners, scoring five tries against a resilient Portadown side.
The scoring started as early as the second minute. A quick tap penalty on halfway set Kane Connor off and running, and he beat half-a-dozen would-be tacklers to cross in the corner for a try and a five point start.
Portadown came right back at 'Skins and applied some pressure on Enniskillen, who did not help their cause by not effectively clearing their line.
However, Connor took things into his own hands and broke out from behind his own goal line, carrying the ball into Portadown territory. The forwards secured the ball and it was spread along the back line to Nathan Green, who sprinted clear for a try in the opposite corner. Six minutes gone and a ten-point lead.
Portadown were showing a bit more organisation in the forwards and again managed to peg Enniskillen back in their own half, but some excellent defensive work as a team managed to keep the line intact. Despite the pressure, Enniskillen did put some good movement of their own together, with Connor and skipper John McKenzie at the heart of most things.
Enniskillen added a third try before half-time and it started as a real team effort again from deep in their own half, and finished with a great solo effort by Ciaran Dolan.
The forwards did well to steal the ball from an attacking Portadown lineout and Connor took the ball forward. Good interchange in midfield between Stuart Connor and McKenzie eventually released Dolan on the wing just a few metres outside his own '22', and he beat three despairing tacklers to go the distance and round to the posts making the conversion that much easier for Sean Corrigan.
Enniskillen finished the half camped in the shadow of the Portadown posts and turned around 17 points to the good.
REPELLED
Portadown were not for lying down and started the second half on top, but again some excellent tackling throughout the young 'Skins side repelled every attack.
The Portadown centre started to make a nuisance of himself, but McKenzie and Stuart Connor managed to shackle him with some smothering tackles preventing his release of the ball.
Halfway through the second half, Enniskillen added to their lead, and it was influential captain John McKenzie with the score. McKenzie showed his powerful running, taking a crash ball off a scrum on his own 10m line, to break through two would-be tacklers and then evade two others to score under the bar. Corrigan again added the conversion, stretching the lead to 24–0.
Both sides scored in the closing minutes. Portadown were again pressing and Enniskillen conceded a number of silly penalties close to their own line.
Portadown were trying to use the forwards to batter a hole in the defence but to no avail. Five metres out, Kane Connor met the runner head on, standing him up in the tackle where McKenzie ripped the ball from his hands. The running was a bit lateral but possession was retained.
Ciaran Dolan then got his hands on the ball, and looking like a American footballer running back dodged would-be tacklers looking for the hole, before breaking out wide with incredible pace and going 95m for a try, which Corrigan again converted.
Three minutes into injury time and Portadown managed a consolation try. Their forwards took a scrum against the head in midfield, and quick hands presented the winger with just a whiff of an opening, which he took for a try in the corner, leaving the final score 31–5.
Kane Connor and Ciaran Dolan were joint Man of the Match winners. Every one of the players contributed to the win, including the subs.
Skins now face Ballynahinch, the Premier League winners, venue and date to be confirmed.
