Enniskillen 1st XV 12 Ballyclare 1st XV 24

Enniskillen 1st XV hosted Ballyclare last Saturday and came away with nothing from the encounter despite staging a final push to almost take the game, before a final score from the visitors deprived Skins of even a losing bonus point. Ballyclare seem to have only gained momentum as the season has progressed and they showed their usual clinical flare early on, running in two early tries to leave the home side under pressure and looking at serious risk of conceding a big scoreline on home turf. Skins to their credit improved their defence and Ballyclare didn't score again until the latter stages of the match, but Enniskillen will rue some opportunities missed that should have been converted, and perhaps made it a very different game.

The match started slowly with mostly a midfield battle as the two sides tested each other; Michael Rooney and Neil Rutledge carrying tenaciously at the visitors. But a couple of early penalties had Ballyclare pinning Enniskillen back on their line, a turnover gave Skins a let off as Lendrum sent the ball back down the Ballyclare half. It was the Ballyclare backs who showed their ability from midfield with just a small bit of space on the right wing they outmanoeuvred the Enniskillen back three to carve through for a score in the corner.

From the restart Ballyclare continued to make yards, moving the ball well and the Enniskillen defence often found short of numbers. A tricky grubber kick through was fumbled near the line and Ballyclare pounced on the opportunity for another score after only 10 minutes.

Skins spent the next 15 minutes in the Clare half but couldn't convert their opportunities, despite the front row of Warrington, Fox and Ferguson applying plenty of pressure at the scrum, and the lineout functioning well. A breakdown penalty ended this passage and Ballyclare were back inside the Skins 22' asking a determined scramble defence to keep the visitors out. Fox, Buchanan and Keenan working hard to shut down the visitors, an excellent maul defence turning the ball over to relieve the pressure. The game became scrappy now towards the end of the half as Skins forced handling errors from the visitors with some determined defence, while the home side struggled to get any continuity as their penalty count mounted, ending the half 0-10 to the visitors.

Skins' attacking structure improved in the second half with the forwards looking more assured, Jack Rutledge managing to get outside the first defender and putting runners into space, while the backs struggled to find a gap against the rushing Clare defence. Some beautiful offloading through Marcus Crawford and Jack Rutledge put Rooney into space who ran from just inside the Clare half to inside the 22', finding Mark O'Shea in support only to be taken down by a back tracking defender. Skins had another few drives for the line but were then held up in a frustrating poor finish to good play. Fortunately for Skins a Ballyclare penalty in midfield gave them a lineout inside the 22' and following some big drives from the pack Gary Hall crossed for a score, converted by Lendrum to bring Skins back to 7-10.

From the restart Skins knocked the ball on inside their 22' and gave Clare another opening. Skins held the opposition out 10 metres from the line for a long time but Clare held possession well and eventually crossed for a score, converted to extend the lead 7-17.

A scrum penalty after the restart gave Skins another opportunity and Lendrum kicked to the corner once again. Another flurry of close quarters carries and Hall crossed again, unconverted but a one score game now at 12-17.

From the restart a penalty from an accidental offside gave Clare another opportunity, setting up a lineout on the 5 metre line it didn't take long for Clare to cross, converted to finish the game 12-24.

Skins will be disappointed at the two early scores which left them chasing and mismanaging the game at times despite glimpses of great ability. The game did blood plenty of new talent with Harry Ingram and Fergus Fee getting their first bit of game time in the back three at this level.

Skins now only have one remaining league fixture and will hope to maintain their top 4 finish after hosting Grosvenor, scheduled for 8pm Wednesday 23rd March.