Enniskillen faced a tough task in the second round of the Towns Cup last Saturday when they travelled to Qualifying one side Dromore. The sides had already met in an early-season friendly which was embarrassingly one-sided. With Mark Hurst again at 10 Skins welcomed Mattie Maguire for his first game of the season. It was the home side which produced the early pressure moving the ball to target runners. Skins were slow to start and most of the play took place in the Skins 22. An infringement allowed Dromore to take the lead after 10 minutes. From the restart Skins drove into the home half and themselves enjoyed a period of pressure. Much of their play was to forward runners but also they attempted to bring Maguire into the game and rarely did the ball move to the wings. After about 20 minutes Skins did get territory in the Dromore 22 and a forward drive saw Johnny Wright claim a try which Daly converted. Daly missed a further penalty as did Dromore but Skins forwards did seem to have the measure of the youthful Dromore eight. A further penalty from Daly left the half-time score 10-3.
In the second half Skins forwards upped their level of physicality and most of the play developed in the home half of the field. When Dromore did attack the Skins defence was firm. They won another penalty straight in front of the posts which should have been kicked rather than run but shortly afterwards came the defining score of the match. From a scrum Skins made several drives into the Dromore half, Hurst fed Maguire who without any space , swerved and sidestepped his way over for a wonderful score under the posts. Daly converted to make it 17-6. For the last quarter Skins brought on Jamie Johnston who had been out with injury. Johnston , Parke, Brien and the “Duracell Bunny “ , Murray took it in turn to run at the Dromore defence. The last move of the match saw a ferocious forward drive end up with Johnston claiming a try which Daly converted.
This was a performance of substance with every man playing his part.The Skins pack has developed nicely into an abrasive unit which will bother most teams. The backs all played well to a man with Tiernan Daly having a fine game. A good result too for coach Patrick Gauret currently in his sick-bed.
