Late try reward for grit and determination

Editorial Department • Published 11 Feb 2010 09:04 0 Comments

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A Skins player holds tight to possession as he his tackled against Coleraine on Saturday.<<

Enniskillen 13; Coleraine 9;

Enniskillen were second best for most of the game in a tight relegation tussle, but showed their grit and determination to emerge victorious, and open a seven point gap on the Bannsiders, who remain rooted to the foot of the table.

It was a big boost for the side as they beat Coleraine for the second time in three weeks and for many it has been a long time since 'Skins could boast of doing the double over the visitors, but this 'Skins team have now not only done that, but added a third victory over Coleraine with a Junior Cup triumph back in September.

The game was well contested from the opening kickoff and it was 20 minutes before anyone registered points, with the visitors taking the lead through a simple penalty. However the lead didn't last long, with Keith Hurst cancelling this out on the half hour mark, having missed an earlier chance.

'Skins were struggling to retain possession, but their defence was sound as Coleraine struggled to penetrate, and the closest they came to scoring a try was the result of a lapse in 'Skins concentration on their own line. A long range penalty dropped just wide of the posts and as everyone looked at each other a visiting player steamed up but was just beaten to the touchdown. However, a knock on allowed Coleraine to maintain pressure on 'Skins line, with another penalty resulting and Coleraine edged ahead, 6-3, just short of the half time break.

The second half opened up much like the first, with 'Skins struggling to keep possession, and it was Coleraine who extended their lead to 9-3 with another penalty after six minutes.

Alan Wilkinson gave 'Skins their first chance of the half after ten minutes when he kicked ahead a poor pass and chased to the visitors' line, where a penalty was conceded. This chance was squandered, as were two later penalties and it looked like 'Skins day was done.

However this proved premature as 'Skins rallied in the final ten minutes. A series of rucks in centre field created space outside and a well timed pass set Wilkinson free and he broke a tackle to cross for the first try of the match. Nicky Finlay couldn't add the conversion, but the Coleraine lead was now reduced to just one point.

'Skins were now in the ascendancy and could've taken the lead with three minutes to go, but again the team's kicking radar was not functioning and another penalty was missed. However they saved the best to last and with a minute of injury time played came up with the winning score. The forwards had been suffering a torrid time in the scrums, more down to some "jiggery pokery", as the late Bill McLaren would have said, than skill according to some observers, but they certainly saved the best for last as the cleanly pushed the visitors off the ball close to their line. This led to a series of thrusts on the Coleraine line through the forwards and centres, before sending the ball wide, where Michael Law had the space and the speed to win the race to the line for the winning try.

There was barely time for the restart and Enniskillen's delight, both on and off the pitch, was evident. All the sides at the wrong end of the table have some vital games of rugby remaining, but the seven point cushion will give 'Skins confidence, with one of their rivals, Limavady, due to visit Mullaghmeen in the final game of the season.

Team: G Warrington, R Cathcart, G Beatty, D Buchanan, J Carleton, G Parke, G Hall (capt), J Courtney, R Connor, K Hurst, C Dickey, A Wilkinson, N Finlay, M Law, M O'Shea. Subs: D Watson, J van Biljon.

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 11 Feb 10

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