Enniscorthy produced another frustrating Jekyll and Hyde performance last Saturday in Magherafelt which unfortunately has now become the norm this season. Mixing the good with the bad and as in some of their previous matches wondering at the final whistle how did we lose this one.  To be fair the good was very good but the bad was very disappointing.

They were under the pump for the opening 15 minutes but their defensive play was superb, they repelled attack after attack but the home team still had a 10-point lead after 15 minutes. Enniscorthy then proceeded to dominate the next 45 however they failed to hammer home that dominance on the scoreboard. They are really struggling at the moment for consistency which is costing them dearly. The positive for them though is that they certainly have the players and the coaching staff to get themselves back on the winning track.

Rainey’s No 10 Scot McLean’s scored a penalty to put Rainey 3 points ahead after 7 minutes. The home side kept hammering the visitors line hoping to break through which they eventually did 

Enniscorthy had little opportunity to get out of their own half when they lost wing forward Lee Tracy to a yellow card on 10 minutes with Rainey taking advantage of the extra man to score the opening try of the match close in by Daniel O’Neill from a driving maul off a lineout. The convert was added by McClean for a 10-nil lead. Enniscorthy regrouped and at last lost got into their rhythm playing some free-flowing rugby which resulted in them in dominating the remainder of the half.

The only disappointment was that they didn’t take all their chances which has been a problem for them this season. Ben Kidd did slot a penalty on the 26th minute and 8 minutes later Davy Murphy was on the end of a driving maul to touch down for a try from a lineout, the conversion from the sideline was missed by Ben Kidd. Enniscorthy continued in the 2nd half where they had finished the 1st dominating territory and owning the ball for the opening 25 minutes but again coughed up too many scoring chances. They did take the lead 2 minutes in when Kidd slotted a penalty and the lead for the 1st time 11-10 and looking comfortable. They had a host of scoring chances to stretch the lead but a combination of individual errors cost them dearly. Ben Kidd did stretch the lead with a well struck penalty having missed one a few minutes earlier but Enniscorthy still looked comfortable and led 14-10.

On the 65th minute Rainey got inside Enniscorthy on a rare visit which they made count. From a sloppy lineout Tommy O’Hagen scored a try in the corner.  McClean landed a brilliant convert from the sideline for a 17-14 lead.

That score seemed to knock the stuffing out of Enniscorthy and although they recovered to forge another assault on the home line but an unfortunate knock on led to the opportunity being missed. Enniscorthy conceded two late tries in the last 5 minutes the fist was brilliantly crafted by the player of the match Rainey out half Scott McClean who pounced on a stray Enniscorthy kick which he took at full speed down the left inside his own 22 and as he was closed down he chipped the ball neatly over the oncoming defender and caught the ball to race in from 50 meters A superb Individual score, he knocked over the conversion to put them into an unassailable led 24-14 lead.

Enniscorthy’s misery was completed 2 minutes later when centre Killian Thornton ran an inside line of a maul untouched to score. McClean added the conversion 31-14.

Enniscorthy will have to cut down on the number of individual errors which are costing them dearly also on Saturday they by and large missed too many crucial tackles. A lot for the players and coaches alike to work on for their next match which is a home encounter with Clogher Valley on November 15th. Tony Ryan not for the 1st time this season was simply outstanding as were the forwards as a unit but the back division struggled to play the cohesive rugby that they know they can.

Team: Ori Lasisi (Andrew Redmond 68mins), Davy Murphy (Sean O’Rourke 68 mins), MJ Doyle, Tom Ryan (Marco Byrne 65 mins), Lawrence Power, Tony Ryan (Capt). Lee Tracey (Mickie McVeigh 65), Timmy Morrissey, Fiacre Hourihan, Conal Kervick, Miguel Byrne, Cian Hogan (Jack Kelly 72 mins), Shane McGuire, Ivan Jacob, Ben Kidd.