Clogher Valley RFC 1st XV 6
Enniskillen RFC 1st XV 8
It was a historic day for Enniskillen Rugby Club on Saturday as both the 1st and 2nd XV secured cup finals in Kingspan Stadium. The 1st XV exorcised some old demons from their town’s cup final defeat to Clogher Valley back in 2007 with an extraordinary battle to overcome the hugely successful cup side 8-6.
The intensity was evident from the start with neither team yielding an inch and the two forward packs competing doggedly for possession. The breakdown was pivotal with Valley achieving an early penalty for holding on at the ruck to clear their lines, before Jack Harte soon earned a similar penalty for Enniskillen to give them a line out deep in the Valley half. Clogher took this pressure well and then intercepted the ball leading to a lengthy break by Keith Todd to put Skins on the back foot, but dealt with well by fullback James Ferguson and put to touch. The visitors dealt with the Valley maul well but it was deemed illegally so, and this allowed out half Holmes to put the home side 3-0 up.
Skins were relentless from the restart, Holden and Lee smothering the receiver in an attempt to hold them up as the Valley pack tried to form the maul, proving successful and setting up an Enniskillen scrum. The resultant dominant drive from the front row of Warrington, Cathcart and Fox built a great platform for the backs and the ball found Mattie Maguire who carved through the defenders and popped to James Ferguson for the only try of the game, unconverted by Lendrum to leave Enniskillen leading 5-3.
Skins continued to make good ground through the forwards and forced another penalty to set up a line out deep in the oppositon half, but some good disruption from Clogher made life difficult for Enniskillen, winning turn over ball and working their way back up to the Skins 22 metre line. The defence of the infamous Valley maul was well executed by Enniskillen and David Buchanan got hands on ball for the turn over, allowing Lendrum to kick clear and end a potentially damaging attack from Clogher.
Much of the next 20 minutes was played in midfield with neither team yielding an inch and impenetrable defence coming from both sides. An Enniskillen line out inside the Clogher 22 metre line almost ended in a try when, following some good yards from the maul, the ball found Mark O’Shea out wide who broke the line and was just taken down short of the try line with some good scramble defence from the home side. Clogher responded well and were soon back in the Skins half and bombarding the resilient Enniskillen defence yet again. The pressure wrought rewards forcing an eventual penalty at the ruck, allowing Holmes to put the home side back in the lead 6-5.
It was great defence from both sides for the rest of the half, Johnston and Harte in the back row making some key tackles. An Enniskillen scrum just inside Valley’s half went wide to Zach Charlton who made a break down the side line mere metres from the try line but the pass inside to Nick Finlay failed to go to hand and the half ended with the home side still leading 6-5.
The second half started in a similar vein to the first as both teams traded blows in equal measure. Valley found some space out wide off the line out and some drift defence was required from Enniskillen to take down Keith Todd sprinting up to inside the Enniskillen 22. Enniskillen built some pressure in the Valley half but home side Captain David Sharkey did well to disrupt the opposition line out. Gareth Beatty made a welcome return to tight head prop mid second half and his first scrum featured a huge drive that caused havoc at the back of the Valley scrum, consequently turning over ball for Skins; the ensuing carry from Alan Wilkinson forced a breakdown infringement from Valley and Lendrum slotted the points to put Enniskillen back in the lead 8-6.
It was an excruciating 20 minutes for the Skins support to watch as tired bodies sought to maintain the lead with a Herculean effort as Clogher tried to find a gap in the Skins defence. The fresh legs of John Courtney and Michael Cadden into the back row was well timed and their added energy may have been pivotal. The scrum contest continued to ebb in Skins’ favour, gaining another penalty to relieve the pressure building from the Clogher attack. The home side asserted themselves in the Skins half now and were awarded the penalty when Enniskillen were deemed to be offside at the maul; fortunately for Skins the resultant kick drifted wide of the uprights. A long period of tenacious defence from Enniskillen ended with an alleged late tackle and Clogher kicked to touch putting them back within scoring distance. Another ruck infringement from Enniskillen gave Clogher a further chance to take the lead but, much to Skins’ relief, the kick again drifted wide.
With 5 minutes to go Enniskillen were pinned back on their own 5 metre line defending repeated Valley mauls furiously; relief eventually coming when Kaine Holden read the line out successfully to steal the Valley throw, allowing Lendrum a huge clearance. Eventually setting up a lineout inside the Clogher 22 metre line Skins continued to carry ball at the opposition in the dying minutes and were awarded the penalty for a ruck infringement as Clogher tried desperately to reclaim the ball. Lendrum opted to kick for points in an unsuccessful penalty attempt that proved to be irrelevant, the referee blowing for full time as the ball sailed wide of the uprights, triggering spectacular celebrations from the Enniskillen players and support.
The 1st XV will have to refocus their attentions now back to the league where they still compete for promotion, facing league leaders Carrick this Saturday away. One eye will, however, inevitably be looking towards Kingspan Stadium on Easter Monday where they face stern opposition in the form of Qualifying One league leaders Bangor RFC, who stand in the way of Skins winning their first Town’s Cup since 1937.
Coach Norman Richmond was clearly proud of his players and the determination displayed throughout, while also vocal about their status as severe underdogs for the final being not quite as deserved as would be believed.
“This game was played with the intensity that was expected for the 80 minutes. We had our opportunities as did Clogher Valley but this time we had the rub of the green. Strong tackling from both sides ensured that the score line was always going to be marginal but on the day we edged it and I believe deservedly so from the overall performance of the squad of players assembled.
“This team’s self-belief should not be questioned, they have grown in stature over the last 2 seasons and, whilst Bangor’s form will offer us a stiff challenge and we will be viewed by most pundits as the complete underdogs going into the game, we needn’t fear them; it’s a Cup Final and another 80 minutes of rugby.
“Focus now returns to the league this week and we need to maintain our momentum as we aim to close the difference between ourselves, Carrick the League leaders, and Coleraine who are in second place. We’ve 2 games in hand on both teams and this should come down to the wire as it would be a fantastic season for both the Club and the players should we earn promotion back into Qualifying One rugby.”
Enniskillen 2XV 19
Dromore 3XV 14
Not to be outdone by the 1st XV, Enniskillen 2nd XV followed suit and booked themselves a place in the Forster Cup final at Kingspan Stadium on the 16th April after grinding out a 19-14 win at home last Saturday against Dromore 3rd XV.
The Enniskillen forwards displayed cup level intensity from the start and looked set for a physical encounter. The Skins scrum was dominant throughout, with the front row of Jamie McKane, Richie Henderson and Alan Ferguson turning over countless Dromore put-ins during the game, quite a feat for makeshift centre turned hooker Henderson, making it a struggle for Dromore to build a platform. Ross Duncan carried destructively in trademark form, ably supported by Richard Grey and captain Richard Willis in the back row. The pressure from the forwards finally wrought rewards as Dromore were penalised at the breakdown deep in their own half, allowing Scott Burrell at out-half to take the three points with a nicely slotted penalty.
Dromore responded well, working their way back into the home side’s half and eventually setting up a lineout and resultant maul on the 5 metre line, crossing for a converted try to take the lead 7-3. Skins were not to be outdone and began to control the game yet again and made good ground from the restart. The rangy second row pairing of Eric Elliot and Cathal McGarry putting in an industrious shift around the park. The under pressure Dromore eventually gave away another penalty and Scott Burrell used the advantage to good effect, sticking up a well placed cross field kick; the chase was relentess by winger Keelan Kelly in pursuit and the Dromore back fumbled his attempt to take the cross field and centre John Gamble was on hand to gather for the score, Burrell converting to put Skins 10-7 up. Disaster then struck just before the half as 2nd XV stalwart Paul Burns was hit with an alleged late tackle that resulted in a serious leg injury, requiring a long stoppage and ending the half.
The second half began with Henderson moving to centre for the injured Burns and Rea Armstrong coming into hooker. The forwards were rampant at this stage and Dromore struggled to resist the onslaught from the Enniskillen pack; this led to constant infringements from the Dromore side and, fortunately for Skins, Scott Burrell’s boot was in fine form and he duly converted every penalty opportunity handed to him. Gradually increasing Enniskillen’s lead to 19-7 with three superb penalties sailing through the uprights. Dromore attempted a reprisal before full time with a long period of pressure deep in the Skins half, requiring some dedicated defence from the home side before Dromore eventually crossed to reduce their deficit to 19-14. It was too little too late however with 5 minutes to go as the rest of the game was played in midfield and ended with a knock on to mark full time and secure Enniskillen’s place in the final. Richard Willis and his 2nd XV have a well earned weekend off now before returning to league action but will be undoubtedly focused on their trip to Kingspan on 16th April where they will face Malone 4th XV in the final. Best wishes from all at Enniskillen Rugby Club to Paul Burns on a speedy recovery.
