Limavady 19 Enniskillen 56

Enniskillen secured their place in the semi-final of the Towns’ Cup with a comprehensive 56-19 win away to Limavady on Saturday.

A competitive first half saw Skins go in at the break with a 29-19 advantage and they pulled away in the second half, running in nine tries in total to finish up comfortable victors.

Skins Forwards’ coach, Ray Savage was pleased with how the team weathered the storm in the first half and retained its composure to dominate the game in the second.

“We’re obviously really pleased to be through to the semi-finals of the Towns’ Cup and we can be pleased with how the performance ended up in the end. Our focus is now back on the league and the next game, away to CIYMS,” he said.

The ground was in relatively good condition, considering 24 hours previously it had been covered in snow. It was, nevertheless, very soft and wet at the end Skins were defending in the first half and whilst the strong wind was mainly blowing across the field, it was also directing most of the play there too. Having kicked off, Limavady had the majority of possession and territory in the opening exchanges. They would open the scoring with a fine try from halfway, following a line break and good support.

Skins hit back immediately though. Following a Limavady clearance that didn’t find touch, full-back Foster linked up with Harte on the left wing. The ball came back open and was recycled through a ruck before captain Stephen Fox, in his first start following injury, cut through the home defence. Johnson-Martin and Keenan were on-hand to win quick ball and Eddie Keys sent Harry Ingram over in the right corner. With the blustery wind neither try was converted, leaving the score 5-5.

Skins went ahead shortly after, when a penalty allowed them to kick to touch, deep inside the Limavady half.

From the lineout and a number of forward drives, the ball was moved across the backline to the left this time, where Ingram popped up to cross for his, and Skins’ second. The conversion narrowly missed.

The heavy Limavady pack was carrying the ball well and with the wind advantage took play into the Skins’ 22 and would eventually score. With the kick more central, it was converted for the home side to go 12-10 up. Skins reclaimed the lead straightaway though, with Timoney and Neil Rutledge winning the kick-off.

Good inter-play by the back-row of Johnson-Martin, Jack Rutledge and Angus Keys took play to within 10 metres of the Limavady line. Harte nearly crossed in the left corner before the ball came right and Keenan ran a hard line through the centre, to score under the posts. The converted try made it 17-12.

Limavady again used the wind advantage and good ball retention to score from close to the line, despite stout Skins defence. The conversion made it 19-17 to the home side, as the half was drawing to a close.

Skins still had time to regain the lead, however. From a scrum on their 10-metre line, Limavady had a kick charged down by Daire Hill, who ran through to scoop up the ball, hand-off the last line of defence and score. Keys converted to make it 24-19 to Skins.

Following a good exit at the restart, Skins were awarded a penalty on half-way. A kick to touch inside the Limavady 22 was followed by a lineout, more forward drives, before Hill ran hard to set up a ruck in front of the posts and the ball was whipped to winger Tim Harte, to score in the left corner. The touchline conversion into the wind went narrowly wide but the lead had been stretched to 10 points at half-time. 29-19 to Skins.

With the wind advantage, the visitors dominated the second half. Limavady wouldn’t score again, though they did have an odd foray into Skins’ territory. At the restart Skins kicked long and immediately pinned the hosts into the soft ground in their own 22. Direct running by Hill again set up a midfield ruck, leading to a Skins penalty, which they tapped quickly, to keep the defence under pressure. Neil Rutledge powered over from close range, with the support of brother Jack. Keys converted to bring the score to 36-19.

Skins varied their game well, kicking for territory, putting up high balls to challenge the Limavady back three and running the ball when the opportunity arose. Niall Keenan finished off a sequence of play that started in their own 22 with a high kick, chased and won by Jack Rutledge, off-loaded to Neil Rutledge and moved wide by Johnston-Martin, Andy and Harry Dane to Harte. The ball then came to Ingram, who brought it infield to the Limavady 22. Mattie Dane had a snipe at the ruck, Graham and Johnson-Martin carried it on to tie in the defence before it was moved to Keenan in space on the left, to cross for his second. Keys had the measure of the wind by now and added the two points to make it 43-19.

This was extended to 50-19 with perhaps the try of the game. A lineout on the left was played off the top by Neil Rutledge, transferred across the backline, with Stevie Balfour drawing his man expertly, to put Ingram into space with Sam Balfour outside him on the right wing and one defender to beat. Balfour touched down in the corner and Keys converted from the touchline.

Limavady continued to tackle and carry hard when they had possession but against the wind they were struggling to get any foothold back into the game.

Skins were disappointed to have conceded the first half tries and were determined to keep a clean sheet in the second period, which they did. It was the visitors who would score the last try, unconverted, when Harry Ingram crossed for his hat-trick, after the ball was moved to space following a ruck under the posts.

Joining Skins in the draw for the semi-finals are Ballymoney, Ballymena 2s and Dromore.

Skins’ 1sts get a break this Saturday. They resume league duty the following week, away to CIYMS.

Next Saturday, Enniskillen 2s are away to Queens 3s in league and Enniskillen 3s are away to Instonians 4s in the McCambley Cup.