ENNISKILLEN ..................... 28
DROMORE .......................... 17
In the words of the tired old cliché, this was a game of two halves, with Enniskillen dominating the first, and then holding on in the second to record a crucial victory and two much needed points at the foot of the table.
Enniskillen started brightly and took the game to the visitors, with everyone running the ball well, and supporting each other going through the phases in their march downfield. The first score arrived after 12 minutes when the ball was passed swiftly through hands for Darren Cochrane to make the break in the centre and round behind the posts, making Mattie Burns' conversion so much easier.
The second try came immediately from the Dromore re-start. The forwards carried the ball into Dromore's half before releasing the backline. Willie Gibson took things forward, creating an overlap on the outside. Despite his lofted pass going to ground, Chris Maguire picked up beautifully and beat the defender to the corner. Burns again added the conversion, this time from some distance to make the Enniskillen lead 14–0.
Dromore rarely made it into the Enniskillen half and certainly never looked like scoring in the relatively one-sided first half. Enniskillen capitalised on a moment's indiscipline just before half-time to again threaten the Dromore line. David Buchanan was penalised in the ruck, but a Dromore player's own brand of justice saw Buchanan struck by a punch causing the referee to reverse the decision. Despite this, Buchanan was still shown a yellow card and forced to spend ten minutes on the sideline.
From the penalty, Enniskillen secured possession and after a number of phases were encamped firmly on the Dromore line, from where Mattie Maguire stole through to score at the foot of the post. Burns added his third conversion to leave the lead 21–0 at half-time.
The second half saw the Jekyl and Hyde side of Enniskillen rugby. With a comfortable half-time lead the second could not have started worse. From the kick-off Enniskillen failed to retain possession and as quick as a flash Dromore had opened their account with an unconverted try in the corner.
Just as Buchanan was about to return to the field, Enniskillen lost another player to the referee's yellow card when Cochrane was involved in a clash with Dromore's former Ulster scrum-half Neil Doak. Down to 14 men for 20 minutes at the start of the second half is asking for trouble, and Dromore capitalised, scoring their second try almost immediately after Cochrane had left the field, making the extra man pay out wide, after a number of phases close to the Enniskillen line. This time, the extra two points were added, and Skins' lead was cut to 21–12.
Enniskillen upped their work rate and started to make some inroads into the Dromore half, and when they were restored to their full complement of players got the try that sealed their victory with a quarter of the game to play. First Richie Finlay, making a welcome return to action, broke free and fed Mattie Maguire, who took play on before releasing Keith Armstrong on the wing. As the spectators in the new shelter behind the goal line rose to acclaim the score, Armstrong crossed the line and rounded to the posts, again making Burns' conversion so much easier.
There was still plenty of rugby to be played, but Enniskillen dug deep and never let Dromore loose, having learned their lesson earlier in the half. Dromore did, however, get the final score of the game with ten minutes remaining when they broke the defensive line following a penalty taken quickly.
The back row in particular had an outstanding game, with skipper Willie Gibson to the fore, running and tackling like a demon. The return of Finlay, and the mercurial running of the backline was at times a joy to watch, and if the forwards can continue to secure quality possession in the games remaining, then there is still a lot to play for this season.
After the game, coach Lachlan Ferguson said that he was 'pleased that the boys had been able to demonstrate the rugby they are more than capable of playing' adding that 'all the hard work was starting to pay off, and this result could be the start of a good run for the side'. He also said that after the game he had been encouraged by comments made by the former Ulster player Neil Doak, who complimented the team on the quality of some of their play, adding that Enniskillen, in his opinion, are a better side than their league position suggests.
Enniskillen take a break from league action this week, when they welcome Banbridge for the return fixture in the group stages of the Junior Cup. Enniskillen won the first encounter in October by 50 points to 12, and Enniskillen must look to keep the improvement seen last week going before they enter a tough Christmas period with points needed at the wrong end of the league table.
