Impressive Enniskillen notch up another excellent league win

Larne 1st XV 7

Enniskillen 1st XV continued their excellent league form with a resounding 46-7 win at home over visitors Larne on Saturday and Head Coach Norman Richmond feels that the four games they have coming up in December will define their season.

Skins have no game this Saturday but they then face Academy, Carrick, Donaghadee and a home game against Lisburn on Boxing Day.

"I feel this is where the season could be won or lost, between now and January, and we just have to make sure that we are clinical and methodical in our play. We can't afford any slips and we'll have to be targeting four wins from those games," he said.

On Saturday, Skins finished up comfortable winners over Larne and it was a result that pleased the coach.

"It was a very good performance from 1-15. Larne were very physical from the start but we were able to match that and it was a really good game. We maybe allowed them too much time on the ball in the first half but we addressed that at half time and finished the game off in the second half," he commented.

The intent was evident from the Mullaghmeen men from the start and following a maul from the 22 metre line to the try line Jamie Johnston crossed for first blood, converted by Lendrum.

The onslaught continued and from the restart and Larne gave away a penalty that was converted by Lendrum to make it 10-0.

This seemed to wake Larne up and the next 15 minutes were a thrilling end to end contest between the two sides. Cover tackling from Mark O’Shea and Matty Maguire kept Larne off the scoreboard on two occasions when handling errors left Enniskillen looking sure to concede. Enniskillen probably played a little too much rugby in their own half during this period but were patient in defence; the line out continuing to work well and a nicely executed catch and drive gave Lendrum the ball to clear their lines and relieve some pressure.

It was Skins though who were to go on and add to their advantage. Pressure in the Larne half forced a crooked throw and a resultant Skins scrum, a contest in which the front row of Warrington, Cathcart and Fox were well in the ascendency; followed up with a powerful drive by Courtney from the tail to cross the line for another score, unconverted to leave the scoreline 15-0.

Larne did hit back with a try of their own as their scrum-half made a break down the wing from inside his own half and offloaded to their winger for a well worked individual try to keep them in contention.

Enniskillen quickly replied though and Matty Maguire, John Courtney and James Ferguson combined to send Ashley Finlay sprinting over the line for a spectacular score, unconverted leaving the half at 20-7.

Larne had slightly more ball early in the second half but the defensive pressure from Skins was relentless and the visitors found themselves retreating in attack. Enniskillen found themselves within reach of the tryline yet again after a steal from John Courtney and well placed pressure kick through from James Ferguson set up a lineout deep in the Larne half. The ball was shifted through the backline where Finlay threaded a grubber kick in behind the Larne defence for makeshift winger Richie Johnston, who timed his dive well to take a score in the corner, a difficult conversion from the touchline sent through the posts by Lendrum.

The counter from the restart was unstoppable yet again but an unfortunate knock on stopped the skins advance. Fortunately the Enniskillen scrum was in devastating form and a penalty was awarded to the home side after a huge drive. Lendrum found touch and the resultant line out and maul was very much by the book for Jamie Johnston to cross the line for an unconverted score, leaving the tally at 32-7. The Skins backs continued to look formidable and only for small errors the scoreline could have escalated much further, but the adventurous style of play was well worth some opportunities gone amiss. The continued Enniskillen defensive pressure had Larne pinned in their own half and eventually embroiled in another Enniskillen scrum 5 metres out. The drive from the Skins pack was irrepressible and the referee was quick to award the penalty try as Larne attempted in vain to wheel and collapse the contest, converted to bring the score to 39-7.

A break from Kaine Holden off the restart, followed by a slick off load to Jamie Johnston, made excellent ground to instantly put Larne on the back foot yet again. Larne, to their credit, refused to lie down and managed to thwart some promising looking breaks from Mark O’Shea and Matty Maguire. The visitors almost had the last say in the contest with some good pressure in the Skins half but Ashley Finlay covered back well in defence and Lendrum managed a decent clearance. The Enniskillen backs got their hands on the ball once again following a Larne fumble and looked likely to cross the line yet again, but a knock on from the backs gifted Larne the mixed blessing of a scrum in their own half. Skins continued their dominance in this area and forced a knock on at the back of the Larne scrum; Skins’ scrummaging response was a better effort and Johnston used the momentum well to score under the posts, converted by Lendrum to finish the contest 46-7.