Saturday's clash between Enniscorthy and Ballyclare at Alcast Park proved to be a thrilling contest, with Enniscorthy emerging victorious 30-29. With both teams positioned 2nd and 3rd in the league, they were both desperate to maintain pressure on leaders Midleton as the league season drew to a close.

Enniscorthy started the game on fire, immediately asserting their dominance in the early exchanges. Strong carries and forward momentum from the pack put the visitors on the back foot and gave Rhyan Whelan the chance to kick a penalty under the posts, which he converted without hesitation.

The home side continued to press, and their relentless attacking play paid off when Tomas Stamp powered his way over the try line after sustained pressure in the Ballyclare 22. Buliding on the opening pressure, Dave O'Dwyer added another brilliant try, slicing through the Ballyclare defense to extend Enniscorthy’s lead.

However, Ballyclare weren’t about to roll over. A yellow card for Enniscorthy’s Timmy Morrissey gave the visitors the chance they needed. They opted for a lineout to the corner and, shortly thereafter, earned a penalty try when Enniscorthy were penalized for pulling down a maul inches from the line. Worse was to follow for the hosts when Liam Stamp was also shown yellow after being identified for pulling the maul down, leaving Enniscorthy down to 13 players.The score tightened to 15-10 as the game entered the 30th minute. 

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Enniscorthy responded in spectacular fashion. With two players off the field, they played some of their most exhilarating rugby of the season. A relentless eight-minute assault on the Ballyclare line culminated in Lee Treacy stretching over to score a crucial try just before halftime, giving Enniscorthy a comfortable 22-10 lead at the break.

Despite their excellent first-half performance, Enniscorthy couldn’t afford to be complacent and were looking to kill this game off directly after half time. But a lapse in concentration allowed Ballyclare to strike immediately after the restart, reducing the deficit with a try within the first minute of the second half. Game on again.

Up stepped Rhyan Whelan for Enniscorthy, his brilliant anticipation saw him intercept a wide pass from the Ballyclare 13 and sprint under the posts for a crucial try. He made no mistake with the conversion, and added a penalty shortly after to stretch Enniscorthy’s lead to 30-17 with just 10 minutes to go.

However, Ballyclare were far from finished. With seven minutes remaining, they mounted a determined charge, scoring a try in the corner to narrow the gap to 30-22, crucially missing the conversion. The pressure was on, and Enniscorthy had to dig deep. For the final few minutes, it was all hands on deck as they defended relentlessly, making crucial tackles and clearing their lines, time and time again to deny Ballyclare any further chances.

In the dying seconds, Ballyclare managed to squeeze over for a converted try, but Enniscorthy held their nerve to see out the game and secure the hard-fought 30-29 victory.

It was an outstanding team performance from Enniscorthy, with special mention to the younger players who stepped up and played vital roles in securing the win. 

The focus now shifts to next Saturday, when Enniscorthy will travel to Belfast for the final game of the season. With the league title still within reach, the team will be looking for a maximum points haul. The players would love to see the passionate home support from Saturday make the trip to Belfast for what promises to be an exciting final day of the league season.

Team: Ore Lasisi, Davie Murphy (C), Scott O’Connor, Tom Ryan, Tomàs Stamp, Liam Stamp, Lee Treacy, Timmy Morrissey, Fiachra Hourihane, Graham Barry, Dave O’Dwyer, Daniel Pim, Nick Doyle, Rhyan Whelan, Jack Kelly, Andrew Redmond, Mikey McVeigh, Darragh Joyce, Cathal Mernagh, Miguel Byrne 

Photo credit; Gareth Gillespie