ERGS make cup exit despite thrilling late comeback

Enniskillen Royal left themselves too much to do in this Subsidiary Cup quarter-final as they went down by seven points to Dungannon Royal despite a stirring fightback.

Indeed, the Enniskillen seat of learning would probably have entered this game as marginal favourites but this looked a far cry when they trailed by 40-12 and were a man down entering the final quarter.

However, they produced a fine comeback to score three tries but run out of time for a fourth that would have tied the game.

Indeed, the ERGS lads started well as Paul McConkey took advantage of a quick penalty to put Ben McLaren in at the corner and out half, Tadhg Hambly, converted from the touch line to make it 7-0.

Dungannon were not so easily put off their stride, however, and responded with deep kicks from their full back pushing ERGS back into their own 22m zone where the visiting forwards rumbled over the line.

This swing in fortune, that led to three almost identical converted tries by Dungannon, was in many ways due to ill discipline in the Enniskillen camp. They gave away ten penalties in the first half and, uncharacteristically, made almost as many handling errors.

The Fermanagh men managed only one sortie into Dungannon’s half but they made it count when McConkey darted over for an unconverted try in the last play of the first half.

The score at the break was 12-21 in favour of Dungannon.

The Tyrone team continued to dominate in the second half and notched up another three tries, two of which they converted. Enniskillen could not seem to find any of the attacking flair that had served them so well in the latter part of the season and they ended this dismal spell of rugby with a yellow card.

With 12 minutes left on the clock, the score at 12 points to 40 and down to 14 men the game was all but over for ERGS. Not so !

From somewhere Enniskillen found their mojo. Whether it was pride, a last fling for the season or just a bit of complacency on the Dungannon side is hard to tell but the momentum of the game suddenly swung back to the home side.

Penalties conceded by Dungannon let ERGS come up to the visitor’s try line where Enniskillen’s outside centre, Karl Bothwell, evaded his opposite number and carried three defenders over the line to score. Hambly converted and the score read a slightly more respectable 19-40.

With Hambly kicking long and accurately and the ball going to hand, the home pack were now making significant carries.

Enniskillen got back to the Dungannon try line where Karl Bothwell squeezed in at the corner for his second try. Hambly managed to convert from the touch line, although he had to use a bounce off the upright to get it through, and the score looked even more respectable at 26-40.

Under pressure and fearful of a late comeback from ERGS, Dungannon became a little more hesitant in their play and the shouts from their coaches on the side lines became a little more urgent.

The result was more penalties given away by the visitors and Enniskillen were soon back inside the Dungannon 22m zone.

Enniskillen were now in full flow and moved the ball wide to Luke Smyton who went over in the corner. Hambly was left with another difficult touch line conversion but as with his team, confidence was now high, and he slotted a magnificent kick straight between the posts.

Enniskillen were suddenly and most unexpectedly within a converted try of salvaging the tie.

In the last play of the match Dungannon conceded another penalty and Hambly gave ERGS a line out on the visitor’s 22m line. They opted for a rolling maul and for a moment the most unlikely of comebacks seemed possible.

Unfortunately for the home side, the Dungannon number 4 managed to get his hands on the ball and rip it free which allowed his out half to kick the ball into touch for the final whistle.

While Dungannon were hugely relieved and move on to the semi-finals, ERGS were left wondering why it took so long for them to get up to speed.