Skins defeat Clogher to secure U-14 Bowl title

Enniskillen played Clogher Valley in the Ulster Carpets U-14 bowl final in a windy Meadowbank Sports Arena, Magherafelt on Saturday.

The two teams hadn’t met in the league this season and had only played in a pre-season friendly in September – too early in the year to set a favourite for the title.

It was the Enniskillen boys who settled quickest, with their forwards controlling in the set piece and dominant in the ruck. The experienced John Joe Campbell, Austin Cassidy and Kyle Crozier were quick to the breakdown and backed-up some fantastic footwork and running lines from lock Matthew Whitmore and flanker Lewis Crozier.

It was the backs, however, that clinically finished when they had their chances.

A cross-field run from Fintan Doyle secured their first in the corner and a classics winger’s try from Scott McLean after two phases of forwards play and a simple use of space from the backline made it 10-0.

Shayne Quinn, a try-scoring regular this season, had to settle for a dominant supporting performance from his number 8 position.

Skins made good use of the wind in the first half with a good kicking game and with the 4G pitch making the ball bounce even more unpredictable, saw a series of Clogher Valley knock-ons and resulting Enniskillen scrums.

Smart pod work

Quinn and scrum half Ruairi Leonard worked well together off the set pieces and some smart pod work from Thomas Corrigan and Jake Lunny-Gunn changed the point of attack, going through a couple of phases before the backs got their third try of the game.

A miss-pass move from outhalf, Paddy O’Hare, saw outside centre Shea O’Neill find space to burst through the Valley defence for a nicely-worked score and the Skins lead extended to 15-0.

Clogher Valley needed no encouragement to regroup, and they hit back soon after.

Aston Beattie took the ball from the back of a scrum and sprinted past the Enniskillen back row; and headed towards the halfway line. Expecting to be tackled at any stage, he then put on the ‘afterburners’ and kept going, sprinting all the way to under the posts where he touched down to score for the Valley.

Joshua Downey converted to leave the half time score 15-7 to Enniskillen.

The second half took some time to settle with the strong wind interfering with open passages of play, and the scrum count rising.

But Clogher were right back in it when, after they put together several phases of play, they pulled the Enniskillen defence out of position, giving Beattie the space and time to go around the opposition backs in an arching run to score out on the left. Downey converted to bring the Valley to within one point, 15-14, with ten minutes remaining.

The pressure was beginning to build but Enniskillen didn’t panic and Lewis Crozier, whose ball-carrying and support lines were excellent throughout, scored Skins’ fourth try after a superb carry from Matthew Whitmore.

It was a very exciting final and credit must go to both teams for their performances.