Enniskillen 49-0 Portadown

On Saturday, Enniskillen backed up a strong performance against Bangor the previous week, to hammer fifth-placed Portadown.

In a competitive game, the result was very much built on the foundation of a very resilient defence.

Time and again Portadown threatened the Skins’ line but were not able to cross it.  

A strong north-westerly wind was blowing in the opposite direction from the previous week and this time Skins were playing into it in the first half.

After repelling several Portadown attacks, Eddie Keys put Sam Balfour away down the right wing from inside the Skins’ half.

Balfour covered a lot of ground before passing back inside to Daire Hill, who offloaded it to Angus Keys at pace, who returned it to Balfour to open the scoring with a fine team try, which Eddie Keys converted.

It was some time before the next score, credited to Cullinan, who was in possession when the defence pulled down the maul as it crossed the line and the referee awarded a penalty try, automatically collecting the extra two points without having to kick the conversion.

Portadown came straight back and pummelled the Skins’ line immediately before and after half-time.

That period was crucial and the tries saved here were as important as those that were to come.

The first was by skipper James Ferguson, running a great line off Keys at 10, whilst Steve Balfour distracted the defence with his run.

Then followed two tries for Henry Keys, who found chinks of light around the side of rucks near the Portadown line and powered through them.

To set up the second Neill Rutledge had brilliantly sliced through the defence from outside the 22, only to be stopped just short. Eddie Keys was knocking over the conversions and would finish the day with an unblemished kicking record. 

Two very good tries followed. The first perhaps saw Jack Rutledge running flat-out, took a deft tip pass from Keenan to cleanly split the Portadown defence and touched down under the posts from 30 metres out.  

For the last score, Eddie Keys broke the line from a scrum ball around the Skins’ 22, drew the defence on the Portadown 10-metre line and passed to James Trotter, steaming up on his inside to finish the game once the conversion went over. 

Whilst these tries showed a lot of pace and skill in attack, it was unquestionably the heart of the Skins’ defence that won this contest.

Backline and defence coach Connor Keys was very pleased with the performance and post-match said that: "No one epitomised the spirit of the side more than tight-head prop Mattie Graham, who yet again repeatedly knocked much bigger men back in the tackle. He wasn’t alone and that impregnable defence was a real team effort."

Also at the weekend, Enniskillen’s 4th team overcame Clogher Valley 3rd XV under lights on Friday evening, in a very entertaining and competitive match, played in great spirit by both sides.

On this occasion, Skins ran out 22-7 winners, with tries by Jack Coulter, Jack Harte and Michael O’Hare.

Nicky Finlay stroked over two conversions and a penalty to complete the scoring for the home side. 

This Saturday the first XV get a break before hosting Tuam the following week in the All-Ireland Junior Cup for a place in the quarter-finals.  

Those seeking a live game at home this weekend can be entertained by the fourth XV against Donegal 2s.

The third XV travel to Belfast to play Instonians at Shaw’s Bridge. Both matches will kick-off at 2.30pm.