Hennessy the late hero

HAVING MADE the long trip to Shamrock Lodge, Drogheda, on Saturday, to play Boyne who are positioned second in the Leinster League, the Enniscorthy Under-14 team pulled it out of the fire thanks to two tries from outside centre Jack Hennessy when they were losing by eight points with just over two minutes left.

With the game five minutes old and both teams nervously trying to get the measure of one another, Enniscorthy were advancing with a strong wind in their faces and making positive but slow yards when inside centre Robbie Chapman spotted a gap through which he zig-zagged from 30 metres, evading all attention to touch down under the posts for a magnificent individual try. Jack Hennessy converted and Enniscorthy were 7-0 up.

Five minutes later, however, Boyne showed a great turn of pace to cross the whitewash, but with the conversion missed, Enniscorthy remained ahead (7-5).

It was to be another 14 min- utes before there was another score in a very good, tight firsthalf.

Enniscorthy had chance after chance to score but got put into touch or failed to off-load at the right time.

Then, in a great line-out move, second row Cody Denton received the ball and swatted aside two defenders to touch down in the corner in what could only be described as a great show of strength and determination. Jack Hennessy was unlucky to see his conversion attempt just go inches wide on the right.

With the game now at 12-5, Boyne were not in the least bit perturbed and roared back one minute later with another try to break at half-time with Enniscorthy leading 12-10.

The second-half was dominated by some strong play by Boyne, and while Enniscorthy had great line-outs and scrums, they made a lot of errors also.

Some poor decision-making by Enniscorthy led to Boyne winning a try off a five-metre scrum, and running in a second try to leave the game looking all over at 20-12.

Then, with just over two min- utes left, a great back movement saw out-half Joe Doyle deliver a perfect pass on the ‘22 to Jack Hennessy who was quick to sidestep the defenders and touch down in the corner.

He was just wide with the extras so Enniscorthy trailed 20-17 going into the last passage of play.

Boyne had possession when the referee said 20 seconds left and, luckily for Enniscorthy, the Boyne out-half grubbered the ball through for their strong number 12 to score from, only for it to be grabbed almost at the corner flag by Jack Hennessy who, having handed off two defenders, set off on the long, lung-bursting run for the posts on the far end.

And despite the attentions of two Boyne backs, he touched down under the posts and added the extras to provide a thrilling win for Enniscorthy by 24 points to 20.

Enniscorthy: R. Whelan, L. Wheelock, J. Hennessy, R. Chapman, C. Kelly, Joe Doyle, T. Cahill, G. O’Connor, P. Byrne, C. Hanrahan, C. Denton, P. Waters, C. Dobbs-Doyle, D. Purcell, D. Butler. Replacements: J. Kavanagh for Whelan, T. Guiney for Kelly, also A. Power, B. Lett, C. Hassey, T.J. Moran, Josh Doyle.