Enniscorthy made the long journey to Omagh on Saturday for a tense encounter at the Thomas Mellon Playing Fields. Despite not hitting their full stride, the visitors emerged victorious with a 33-21 win, earning five crucial points in the league.

The match started brightly for Enniscorthy with Jack Kelly crossing the line early, and Rhyan Whelan successfully adding the conversion. Omagh fought back strongly, but Enniscorthy were able to build on their lead when Tony Ryan powered over for their second try. Just before the half-time whistle, Nick Doyle dotted down for another try, leaving Enniscorthy with a 19-7 advantage as the teams went into the break.

The home team came out of the break with renewed energy and determination, tackling like their lives depended on it. An intercept try brought Omagh back into the game, narrowing the gap to just one score. From there, the match became a tense back-and-forth, with both teams exchanging tries in quick succession. Tony Ryan added his second try, putting Enniscorthy back on track.

However, the game took a turn when Enniscorthy's captain, Tony Ryan, suffered an injury, forcing him off the field. Things got even more complicated when Rhyan Whelan was sin-binned, leaving Enniscorthy with just 14 players. Minutes later, Lee Treacy joined him in the sin bin, and the visitors were down to 13. The pressure was on.

But it was replacement Mikey McVeigh who delivered a pivotal moment with a try-saving strip tackle that denied Omagh a certain opportunity to go ahead on the scoreboard. Enniscorthy quickly moved up the field following a boomer of a kick from scrum half Fiachra Hourihane. Quality field position following numerous carries allowed the backs to whip it wide and Ivan Jacob sealed the win with a crucial try, making the score 33-21 and securing the five points for Enniscorthy.

While the team didn’t quite find their rhythm during the match, they will be pleased with the result after a long and challenging trip. The injury to Tony Ryan will be a concern, but the hope is that it won’t be too serious.

Enniscorthy now return to Alcast Park next Saturday (15th February) to face Bruff, and they will be looking to continue their winning form, which has seen them rise to 3rd place in the league, level on points with the team in 2nd. It’s an exciting time for Enniscorthy as the season nears its climax, and their push for promotion continues.

Team: Scott O'Connor, Davie Murphy, MJ Doyle, Tom Ryan, Tomás Stamp, Liam Stamp, Lee Treacy, Tony Ryan (C), Fiachra Hourihane, Nick Doyle, Ivan Jacob, Dave O'Dwyer, Daniel Pim, Rhyan Whelan, Jack Kelly Subs: Angelo Todisco, Ore Lasisi, Mikey McVeigh, Graham Barry, Miguel Byrne.