Dungannon 0 Enniskillen 12

Enniskillen Ladies left a wet Fermanagh on Sunday for their fourth game of their new Premiership League season to go to Stevenson Park and to face an experienced Dungannon Ladies team.

Skins’ opponents had beaten last year’s Premiership winners, Co. Cavan RFC, the week before and were considered to be a very tough challenge – and so it proved.

Skins received the kick-off and immediately went on the front foot. They had lovely structure in their forward carries and training calls were really working well.

They made great ground from their own 22 to Dungannon’s 5m line and were only thwarted by a knock-on in the slippery, wet conditions.

The game then was dominated by the Skins forwards but they were kept at bay by tough tackling by Dungannon. However, after 20 minutes, debutant scrum half, Lauren Kilfedder, pounced on a ball at the back of a Skins ruck on the Dungannon line, and popped over for the first score of the day.

The conversion by Farrah Cartin McCloskey rebounded off the upright; 0-5.

The punch and counter-punch rugby from both sides continued for 15 more minutes until a vital break by Sophie Barrett was supported by Nadine Hunter and Rebecca Beacom to break into the Dungannon 22.

With quick ball available the backs spun the ball out to Zara Flack, who used her great speed and balance to go over the line for a try.

Conversion added by Farrah; 0-12.

The first half had only seconds left to go when the pacy and aggressive No 13 from Dungannon took a pass in her own half and broke through two tackles in the midfield to head straight for the Skins line.

Her run was superbly stopped by Carla Wiggins, who made ground from the opposite wing to bring her crunching to the ground.

This was a try-saving tackle and saved 7 points for the Skins ladies; half time – 0-12.

The second half was an exhibition for the rugby purist of attack and defend rugby from both sides.

Neither would give an inch and each fought for every yard, but neither line was to be breached again.

An enthralling close game of rugby came to an end and the players congratulated each other on a great spectacle, with a superb performance by Zara Flack earning her Player of The Match.

Enniskillen now have the luxury of a weekend off and then they hope to welcome back some of their injured players for the Skins Ladies trip to Co. Cavan RFC on Sunday, November 6 at 1pm.