Last Saturday Enniscorthy welcomed Buccaneers Rugby Club to Alcast Park. Both teams, having had a difficult start to their new division, were looking for a win to kickstart their season. The home side were looking to build on their previous home win against Navan and Buccaneers were looking to end a drought that has seen them plummet from Division 1B. It would be the travelling side who plundered the spoils on the day, winning the game 29-21. 

Enniscorthy started the game well and took an early 14-0 lead. Good early defence and some astute tactical kicking kept Buccs pinned back. The home side were eventually rewarded when a series of penalties gave them a 5 metre lineout. Davie Murphy profited from a well constructed maul to crash over the line. The trend continued and Enniscorthy’s pressure again paid dividends. An over thrown Buccaneers lineout was quickly spread wide. As the defence scrambled to recover, scrum-half Graham Barry stole through the line to touch down under the posts. Ben Kidd added both conversations. 

The home crowd were expectant of another home win, a cornerstone of recent successes, but the away team began to get a foothold in the game. Some lacklustre defending and wayward kicking allowed Buccs to pile pressure on ‘Scorthy. This pressure eventually told with a double blow, a try for Buccs and a yellow for home captain Tony Ryan. The away side crossed the whitewash once more on the stroke off half time leaving the scores tied at 14 a piece as the sides headed for the sheds. 

The second half continued much as the latter stages of the first, with Buccaneers punching holes in the Enniscorthy defence and dominating territory. This pressure eventually told with Buccaneers’ flanker breaking the line to touch down under the posts. They would add a further penalty, scant reward for the pressure they had, which saw them held up over the line twice. ‘Scorthy managed to get themselves back into the game, but a glorious opportunity from a close range lineout saw them knock the ball on. From the resultant clearance kick, an attempt to spread the ball was intercepted and Bucc’s flanker Paddy Egan, who had been a torn in the Enniscorthy side all day, streaked clear to leave the score at 29-14.

Enniscorthy, to their credit, battled right to the end and were rewarded with a close range try on the stroke of full time after some good work by the forwards. The converted try was unfortunately not enough to garner a losing bonus point. 

‘Scorthy will travel to Rainey Old Boys next week and will know a big improvement is needed to gain a result and lift them clear of the relegation places in the early parts of the season.