Skins not giving up on second place just yet

Editorial Department • Published 26 Jan 2012 13:00 0 Comments

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Davy Taylor works hard to try and gain some possession for Skins during their narrow defeat to University of Coleraine on Saturday.

Enniskillen 1st XV 6; UUC 1st XV 8;

A last minute penalty from the University of Coleraine all but ended Enniskillen's hopes of promotion from Qualifying Two at a windy Mullaghmeen on Saturday. The Skins now trail leaders Ballyclare by 10 points with seven games left while this win puts Coleraine in a challenging position in third with games in hand.

The Skins' end of season plans, did, however, receive a boost when Dungannon IIs were thrown out of the Towns' Cup due to registration errors and Skins will now take their place in the second round albeit with a tough tie away to section one side Dromore this weekend.

Injured Skins captain Alan Wilkinson was not giving up all hope.

"I suppose first place is out of reach now but we are targeting second place and we will see what happens in terms of the All-Ireland league and how many teams get promoted from our Division. The reprieve in the Towns' Cup is also a boost and we want to finish the season strongly in both league and cup, that is the aim."

Overall, this result was tough on Skins who played with the wind in the first half and pretty much dominated but failed to translate this into scores on the board. Two Gavin Parke penalties did give them a 6-0 lead but it could have been so much different as Skins did look to have scored a try after only six minutes following a great drive over the visitors' line from a secure lineout, but the referee judged that the ball had been held up.

Skins' forwards were controlling the ball well in the loose but the set pieces were a worry, but some strong running from David Taylor, David Buchanan, Hazlit Brian and Robbie Murray kept them going forward.

The weather was causing havoc with handling out wide and again Skins did have two good opportunities to score as half-time approached but the UUC defence held out and the half ended with Skins six points to the good.

Skins were dealt an early blow in the second period when they gave up a very soft try from a scrum under pressure, with the visitors only having to fall on the ball to score in the opening minutes as the visitors made it a one point game at 6-5.

Skins regrouped and spent the remainder of the half controlling possession through multiple phases into the stiff breeze.

Defensively they allowed UUC no time on the ball to gain any territory and looked to be comfortably holding on to the slenderest of leads until the last minute decision to penalise them at a ruck right in front of the posts.

It was a cruel way to lose and UUC certainly rode their luck to remain unbeaten and in pole position to secure promotion.

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 26 Jan 12

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