Clonmel turn the tables
Setback for Enniscorthy in narrow home loss
ENNISCORTHY WILL have days like this, as they were knocked off their top of the table perch by a Clonmel side well and truly intent on launching their promotion bid.
And they succeeded in achieving this as they built upon a commanding pack display with a narrow two-point victory in this teak-tough AIL Division 2C game played at Alcast Park, Enniscorthy, on Saturday.
Enniscorthy went into this game top of the table but, despite a losing bonus point, Skerries took over the leader’s mantle after the weekend games. As for Clonmel, the four winning points propels them right up the table into a challenging position for a play-off spot.
The much heavier Clonmel pack spearheaded the victory effort, but for Enniscorthy this was always going to be a huge battle, given the injuries which decimated their side prior to the game, leading to a call-up for many of the younger squad members.
With Ivan Jacob, David O’Dwyer, M.J. Doyle, Timmy Morrissey and Joe Carley all forced to watch from the sideline, Enniscorthy were always going to face a tough task to salvage anything from this game, given the threat which Clonmel posed, as they had witnessed in their earlier narrow victory on their travels to the Premier county.
And thanks to a committed display against a more experienced outfit, Eniscorthy still gave themselves a chance of snatching a late draw.
Following intense pressure in additional time, a quick ball along the line gave Billy Wickham the chance to spot the gap and get over for an excellent try.
However, Ben Kidd pulled his conversion attempt wide and, with the game deep in added time, with it went the home side’s final opportunity of snatching a draw.
From the start it became obvious this was going to come down to a real physical battle on the heavy and wet surface.
Clonmel drove into the rucks and scrums inside the opposing ‘22 from the off, but the Enniscorthy defence held firm as Ivan Poole dictated matters at the back.
And with Arthur Dunne and Hugh O’Neill getting in some big carries, they managed to relieve the pressure.
While Clonmel might have scored from that early dominance, Enniscorthy worked their way along the touchline once they managed to gain territory through the fine play of Nick Doyle, Tom Ryan and David Murphy.
Having pressed inside the visitors’ ‘22, they forced Clonmel into the concession of an eighth-minute penalty, with the visitors penalised for offside at a ruck. Ivan Poole kicked the resulting penalty to give his side a 3-0 lead.
Clonmel began to launch high, testing kicks through their out-half, Luke Noonan, who went on to have a real influence on the game.
When Eniscorthy fell foul for handling in a ruck, full-back Darren Cass landed the penalty kick to make it 3-3 after 15 minutes.
Clonmel were penalised for collapsing a scrum inside their ‘22, with Ivan Poole kicking into the corner. Having won possession, Enniscorthy were denied a try by visiting winger Conor Pearson whose deliberate knock-on saw him yellow-carded.
The home side once again went for the corner.
Having won an excellent lineout, a smart pass from scrumhalf Dunne set up Poole who cut through the defence to score close to the corner.
Poole added the converson to make it 10-3.
While many expected this bout of play to really lift the side, it was Clonmel who showed real fire, getting in some ferocious tackles, while they also began to stretch the home side’s backs with some excellent handling along the line.
Approaching the interval, it was from one of these attacking moves that they showed slick handling to get the ball out wide to winger Conor Pearson who atoned for his earlier yellow card indiscretion with an excellent try in the corner.
Full-Back Cass landed a huge conversion kick to leave the scoreline 10-10 at the break.
Enniscorthy would have been happy enough with that scoreline at the interval as they were turning around with the advantage of a slight breeze. But the Clonmel pack began to make a bigger impact on the game, and it took some desperate defending for Enniscorthy to protect their line.
No matter what Clonmel threw at them, they always seemed to be able to put up a barrier, but on 73 minutes, at a crucial stage, they were reduced to 14 when David Murphy was yellow-carded.
When Enniscorthy thought they might hold out, Clonmel won clean line-out possession and got a driving maul to crash over the line, with Ciarán Burke getting the touchdown.
Replacement Dylan Cadogan added a difficult conversion, with Clonmel now looking to have secured the points as they led 17-10.
In additional time, restored to 15 with the return of the sin-binned Murphy, Enniscorthy managed to pick up their game.
Having seen several drives for the line held just short, they succeeded in moving the ball which resulted in Wickham’s late try.
In the end though, they just fell short after a brave battle, but their promotion hopes are still very much alive, despite Kidd pulling his conversion attempt just wide.
Enniscorthy: Richard Dunne; Michael Farrell, Daniel Pim, Hugh O’Neill, Billy Wickham; Ivan Poole, Arthur Dunne; Paddy Waters, David Murphy, Angelo Todisco; Tomás Stamp, Tom Ryan (capt.); Brian Bolger, Nick Doyle, Liam Stamp. Replacements: Ben Kidd for R. Dunne (32), Richard Dunne for Kidd (HT), Niall arker for Pim, inj. (57), Kidd for Poole (70), also Ryan Cahill, Stephen Hadley, James Doyle.
Clonmel: Darren Cass; Greg Carroll (capt.), Luke Hogan, Andrew Daly, Conor Pearson; Luke Noonan, Alex Sheehan; David O’Gorman, Martin Altarnirano, Niall Campion; Neville Melbourne, Tony Cantwell; Diarmuid Dempsey, Ciarán Burke, John Gallagher. Replacements: Dylan Cadogan for Cass (44), Billy O’Kelly for Campion, also Philip Ryan, Eddie Phelan, Ian Cunningham.
Referee: Robbie McGreer (I.R.F.U.).