There was some speculation prior to the kick off that this game would be a ‘double-header’, worth four points, as Enniskillen have still to play Ballyclare away in the league this season. However, this gamble never materialised, and perhaps it was just as well, as Enniskillen still seem flustered when under pressure. From the start the strong wind looked set to play a part in the match, with Ballyclare electing to play with it and Skins being pinned into their own twenty-two, with touch kicks failing to make much headway into the wind. As it has done all season however, the Skins defence proved resolute, and limited Ballyclare to just one penalty to show for their pressure.

    Eventually the Skins side found a way out- some good ground being made by breaks from backs and forwards when they kept the ball in hand, which they do very well. Once in the Ballyclare half Enniskillen looked dangerous on the attack and the defence was stretched on a number of occasions, but desperate last ditch tackling kept the rampant Skins side at bay. Gareth Armstrong was tackled just five yards out after a series of recycled possession and well moved ball across the backline, and from a lineout on the left a few minutes later Skins finally got the score they had been threatening. Michael Leslie secured good ball which was released quickly to Evans to get his backline moving at pace. Out-half Graham Little performed a switch with outside centre Rob McSweeney, changing the direction of the attack, and the Flying Doctor crashed and smashed his way through three attempted tackles to open the Skins account to the left of the posts.

    The conversion was missed by Gibson, but he made amends later in the half with a penalty knocked over from in front of the posts after Ballyclare had added another of their own following Skins being punished for not releasing the ball in a tackle. The first half was marred by a broken leg sustained by one of the Ballyclare players in a freak collision during an Enniskillen attack, and Skins wish this player a full recovery.

    Leading by eight points to six at half-time and about to turn around and play with the wind, confidence was high in the Enniskillen camp, but after they relaxed for a period and Ballyclare took the lead with their third penalty of the afternoon, the game was beginning to have a terribly familiar ring to it. However, unlike the close games of recent times, Skins didn’t panic and defeat themselves, but played a hard and fast rucking game which Ballyclare struggled to contain. Ground was made through the middle of the pitch, forwards and backs alike crashing through on either side of Little and Evans. Any turned over possession however resulted in counter-attacks of menace by Ballyclare playing a similar game, and with the Enniskillen penalty count worryingly high any ground gained in attack was often lost. McSweeney was unlucky to be called back by the referee after racing through with an interception- the ref judged the Enniskillen backrow had tampered with the ball in a ruck, although this had no bearing on proceedings.

    Eventually the breakthrough came with a try for left wing Gareth Armstrong, after another half break in midfield was followed up with a transfer of the ball along the backline, and Armstrong converted the overlap created into a try by diving over in the corner. The conversion was missed from the corner, but Gibson again made amends with another penalty minutes later. The shuddering tackling of Pattison and McSweeney in the middle of the pitch was keeping the Ballyclare attack at bay, as they tried to get themselves moving through their big centres, and with the wind against them they found it difficult to make much headway through kicks. Enniskillen Coach Johnny Woods brought on Davy Forbes for Maurice Kettyles and Kenny Hutchinson for Chris Evans in a move which saw both players returning after long layoffs due to knee injuries. Hutchinson quickly got into the swing of the game with a long clearance kick that brought play back into the Ballyclare half, and on the next occasion of Skins possession the Mullaghmeen men crossed the opposition line for their third try, which should have sealed the win. After the usual crash ball ground gainers Hutchinson went left down the blind, and fed Little looming on the loop outside him, and the outhalf went round the last Ballyclare defenders for another score in the corner.

    21 points to nine ahead it was looking good for Enniskillen in their bid to salvage their season, but a break from their very pacy right winger, who kicked ahead after breaking clear on the right, led to a penalty conceded after a Skins player was adjudged offside while going for the ball as he retreated and was met by the Skins attempts to re-secure the ball after the kick ahead. One of the old demons of the season then returned to haunt the Mullaghmeen men, as they reacted lethargically to the penalty award, and unforgivably turned their backs on the Ballyclare attack, who waltzed in from ten yards. This has been a feature of the season, and to see a try gifted in such a manner after the defence has been rock solid for the rest of the game is frustrating.

    The crowd was getting a little anxious at this stage, as the game could easily have gone the way of many others this season, but on this occasion Enniskillen regrouped, cut down the penalty concessions and applied the pressure in the Ballyclare half, keeping the ball in the hands and having the patience to wait until the scores presented themselves. Hutchinson settled the jitters with five minutes to go when a well rehearsed back row move allowed him to dummy the scant Ballyclare cover and cross in the left hand corner- Enniskillen’s favourite area of the Portora pitch. This score added a little gloss to the scoreline, which finished at 26-14 to Skins, and sounded a warning to the sides above that the league isn’t over yet.