Championship 1
Dromore 21 Enniskillen 57
ENNISKILLEN picked up their first win in the Ulster Rugby Championship 1 with a comfortable 36 points victory over last season’s league winners Dromore on Saturday.
Conditions were dry, with a gusty wind blowing straight down the pitch, which Dromore had in the first half.
Dromore pushed a penalty wide and the Skins’ defence had to repel several carries by the heavy Dromore forwards and then counter-attack when they turned over possession.
A penalty allowed access to the Dromore ‘22. From the lineout Skins retained the ball through multiple phases, across the field and back, before Aukuso Vaelua Teo attacked down a narrow blindside.
He skipped Foster and Sam Balfour, to put Adam Chester away on the right touchline. Quick hands inside to Balfour and Foster, then found Kuso in support, for the first Skins’ try, which Eddie Keys converted.
Skins, defending aggressively, led by Graham, Carleton and Timoney, were running Dromore ragged, with some great support and continuity play.
Foster claimed possession just inside the Skins half.
Several phases later Kuso sniped around a ruck in midfield on the Dromore ‘22, was held up but still got a pass away to Eddie Keys, who found Adam Chester.
The former Barnhall man put a deft kick to Sam Balfour on the right wing. He slipped passed his marker and passed inside to Trotter, who had come over from the left and touched down.
Keys converted and five minutes later slotted a penalty to take the score to 17-0 to Skins, with 23 minutes on the clock.
The lead was extended when Angus Keys managed to steal possession at ruck on the Skins’ 10-metre line.
He broke to the Dromore ‘22, where a quick ruck cleared by Rooney, allowed Kuso to feed Eddie Keys, to pass to Henry Keys, who beat two defenders to power in on the right. Keys converted.
A strong first half was rounded off with a fourth try, securing a bonus point.
Eddie Keys picked up a clearance kick on the Skins’ 22 and ghosted his way through the oncoming defenders to the opposite end of the pitch, offloading to Kuso, who tipped it to Steve Balfour.
A number of forward drives ensued before Rooney crossed under the posts. The conversion made it 31-0 at half-time.
Skins resumed the second half by stealing a Dromore lineout on halfway. Carleton carried in midfield, before it was moved to the right wing.
A couple of rucks followed and then Kuso released Sam Balfour down the right touchline. He cut inside on the ‘22 and passed to Chester in support, for his first try in Skins’ colours. Keys converted.
From the restart Skins kicked long, now aided by the wind. Dromore tried to run back and chip over the onrushing chase, but put the ball straight to Daire Hill.
He set up a ruck, to which Keenan was first to arrive. He fed Henry Keys who combined with Rooney to put Eddie Keys away down the left wing to score but not convert Skins’ sixth try.
A string of penalties then led to a Dromore score but the visitors struck back, when Kuso kicked ahead on the Dromore ‘22.
He was hacked down by a tackle technique last used by Chelsea’s Ron ‘Chopper’ Harris in 1970, but George Foster was on hand to run through and touch down. Keys converted to make it 50-7 to Skins.
Dromore continued to run hard but were continually cut down by the Skins’ defence, with Peter Read and Toby Newman now in the fray.
They forced a knock-on in their 22 and pounced on the opportunity, with Henry Keys popping the ball to Rooney. Spotting the overlap, he fed Steve Balfour, who put Trotter away.
The Blacklion express ran 75m for his second score. The conversion made it 57-7 to Skins.
Conceding a succession of penalties and having received yellow cards, Skins found themselves down to 13 men for the last 10 minutes.
They were still on the attack, when Dromore won possession and broke out of their ‘22 to score, but Skins held on for a comfortable win.
Enniskillen are in Junior Cup action on Saturday when they take on Clogher Valley 2 at Mullaghmeen at 2.30pm.