Enniscorthy 36 Greystones 28

The Enniscorthy J1 team took on Greystones in a Friday night lights game that would bring the end to their Metro League campaign.

In a very physical encounter, the visitors took the lead ten minutes into the first-half, with the Greystones winger crossing the line before the conversion was missed.

Ten minutes later there was a carbon copy from Greystones as they crossed the line again, but with the out-half missing the conversion. They scored two more tries in the half and added one conversion.

Doom seemed inevitable for Enniscorthy until back row Aaron Doyle decided to take the game into his own hands.

Five minutes before the break he found a gap in the Greystones defensive line as their cover at the side of the ruck was missing, and he ran in from 15 yards out, with Adam Gethings adding the additional two to leave Enniscorthy trailing 22-7 at the interval.

The hosts came out of the blocks a different animal at the start of the second-half with some great phase play.

The ball ended up in Doyle’s hand and he added his second and his third in six days. Gethings sent over another conversion, and the comeback was on.

Enniscorthy kept their foot on the throttle and the ball made its way out to Oisín McPartlin who scored his first try since joining the club this season. Gethings adding the two with a banana kick from the touchline.

With the score 22-21 in favour of Greystones, the hosts were the dominant side but still made hard work of the fixture as Ryan Cahill saw the line for ten minutes for a high tackle. The visitors took their penalty and secured a four-point lead.

But even with a numerical disadvantage, Enniscorthy’s mindset remainded strong, and when Cahill returned to the field he was part of a pick and drive melee.

Joyce had the first and Cahill had the second, before prop Andrew Redmond dotted it down with the third go, getting his third try in three games.

Gethings’ kick had the accuracy but just lacked the distance with the conversion, so the hosts had a one-point lead with 20 minutes to go.

McPartlin found the ball out on the wing again and showed good strength and speed to score his second, with Gethings adding the two to leave the hosts with an eight-point lead.

The referee brandished two further yellow cards, one for the Greystones captain who saw the line for numerous team offences.

Enniscorthy veteran Ronnie White was binned five minutes later for another high challenge, and the resulting penalty brought it back to a five-point game.

The final score came two minutes before the end when Adam Gethings slotted a penalty between the posts to leave it 36-28.

It was a tough league campaign for the J1s this year, but a brilliant way to end it against an excellent Greystones team.

Enniscorthy: Scott O’Connor, Ryan Cahill, Andrew Redmond, Darragh Joyce, Cathal Mernagh (capt.), Dylan Cooper, Aaron Doyle, Mikey McVeigh, Stefan San Agustin, Adam Gethings, Killian Creed, Mikey Nolan, Dominic Morycki, Oisín McPartlin, Ciarán Hourihane. Subs. - Ronnie White for Redmond, James Rothwell for Cooper, Ciarán Doyle for Joyce, Con Maher for Creed, also Lee Quigley.

The full report can also be read in this week's Enniscorthy Guardian.