Enniskillen Second XV hosted academy at Mullaghmeen on Saturday and were eager for a victory after two previous away defeats.
Skins were slow to start and Academy were first to get points on the board from a penalty in front of the posts, but the home side responded well and benefitted from more possession which they used to good effect. Academy clearly felt to be on the back foot and began to give away penalties in quick succession, eventually receiving a yellow card in the first half. Then the pressure finally yielded results when Ross Duncan crossed the line from close range to leave the score 5-3 at the close of the half.
In the second half Enniskillen had the wind at their backs and started to control the game well. The scrum and line out were tightly contested throughout but Enniskillen were formidable in open play and Danny Maguire carried well to wear down the opposition.
Indiscipline continued to hurt Academy and allowed Daniel Allister to kick a penalty and extend the lead. Then soon after, Academy were forced to touch the ball down behind their own line while under severe pressure, giving Enniskillen an attacking scrum on the 5 metre line. The scrum was reset numerous times with the front row of Ferguson, Wright and Irvine working hard to win the contest, an eventual pick at number eight from Ross Duncan found centre Richard Grey who ran a hard line and made good ground, this was quickly recycled to Duncan who again crossed the line, converted by Allister to leave the score 15-3.
Despite only minutes remaining in the game, the scoring was not over as space down the blindside resulting from a sideline altercation, which seemed to include the bulk of the two sides, was exploited by scrum-half Ricky Connor who broke away heading deep into the Academy half, only to be beaten for pace by an opposition prop who forced an offload to Ross Duncan, Duncan was then chopped at the knees by a sprightly Academy winger but thankfully Jonny Wright had torn himself away from the melee to provide support and take the pass, crossing the line for the final try.
A major highlight was yet to come as Daniel Allister stepped up for a challenging conversion just a metre inside the touch line, only for a strong gust to knock the ball from the tee mid run up and force an impromptu drop goal from Allister, which soared through the posts much to the amusement of the adoring spectators, leaving the final score 22-3.
Captain Alan Ferguson was clearly euphoric about the result.
“I’m absolutely delighted with the result, it’s my birthday on Monday and this is the best present a boy could ask for, i’m so proud of the guys”.
The Second XV now play away to Dromore this weekend in a perfect opportunity to revitalise their away form.
