Enniscorthy produced  their best performance of the season when defeating Rainey (Magherafelt) 34-24 in Alcast park last Saturday scoring 5 tries. Right from the kickoff Enniscorthy pushed Rainey onto the back foot and were rewarded after just 5 minutes  when Davy Murphy set up Nick Doyle who scored under the posts using his long reach to get there. It was some return for Doyle who had just come back from a spell in Australia last week.

Conal Kervick kicked the conversion.

10 Minutes later Enniscorthy were close to the Rainey line when their lock forward Tom Hamilton intercepted  a pass and headed down the field at pace but Ivan Jacob tracked back and brought him down and also robbed  the ball of him and scored an amazing try beating 3 men to squeeze into the corner for the touch down and whilst the conversion was missed Enniscorthy were now leading 12 nil and flying. Conal Kerick Kicked a penalty to push the home team further ahead.

25 minutes in and the 3rd try came from a lineout with Tom Ryan at the end of the maul grounding the ball and with Conal Kervick kicking the conversion the home team were now leading 19 nil and full value for the lead. Enniscorthy were dealt a blow 5 minutes later when Tom Ryan was red carded which seemed harsh after the touch judge alerted the referee.

Rainey did eventually score a try through wing forward Michael McKusker and with  Scott McClean adding the conversion it was now 19 -7. Whilst Enniscorthy were now down to 14 players that didn't stop their enterprising play and again it was Davy Murphy who set James Doyle away just outside the 22 and the power and strength that the big Davidstown man showed was outstanding he wasn't to be stopped. The conversion was kicked by Kervick and with the half time whistle coming next Enniscorthy after a pulsating opening 40 minutes of rugby were leading 27-7 at the break.

There was a  fear that Enniscorthy with  a man short for the 2nd half were going to be under pressure and that fear duly transpired because right from the drop out Rainey scored with the fullback Ross McLoughlin getting in. McClean kicked a fine conversion into the wind. They quickly added a 4th try through their centre Jim McCartney and now it was getting tight. However Enniscorthy really dug deep and  played most of the last 2o minutes in the Rainey half of the field and the Northern men  rarely got out of their own 22 such was the intensity of Enniscorthy's  play. The game was effectively put to bed 5 minutes from the end when scrum half Faiacre Hourihane picked from a scrum and he had Tony Ryan on his shoulder in support,Ryan punched a massive hole in the Rainey defence and just as he got to the line he made sure that Hourihan scored the try and with Ben Kidd  adding the conversion Enniscorthy now had  an unassailable lead and the points and victory was now secured.

On the day it was hard to pick out anyone as it was a brilliant team performance but Tony Ryan and Man of the Match James Doyle were simply outstanding and the return of Nick Doyle certainly gave the whole team a lift. 

Captain Tony Ryan " I'm so delighted for everyone because it has been a tough season and we have been so close in a lot of matches that we lost but we were determined to win today and the home support was terrific. Our aim is now to keep winning in our final 4 games but massive praise to the lads today. They are brilliant".

Special guests at Saturday's game were Davidstown Courtnacuddy County Wexford Intermediate A and Leinster Junior Hurling Champions  in fact James Doyle and Ryhan Whelan who featured for Enniscorthy on Saturday were part of the D/C team that won those titles.

Team: Ore Lasisi (Scott O'Connor 66min ), Davy Murphy (Mickey McVeigh 72 mins), MJ Doyle, Timmy Morrissey, Tom Ryan,James Doyle, Lee Treacy ( Marco Byrne 65mins), Tony Ryan (Capt.) Fiachra Hourihane , Conal Kervick , Kevin O'Connor( Graham Barry 65 mins), Nick Doyle,Rhyann Whelan, Ivan Jacob, Jack Kelly ( Ben Kidd ( 60 mins).

Next game away to Buccaneers next Saturday @ 2.30pm.