The rivalry between these two proud, rugby schools dates back 150 years to the 1870s with not a great deal to separate them and the case remained the same at the Eisenhower Playing Fields on Saturday.
Enniskillen took full advantage of the visitors travel fatigue in the early part of the game before Armagh warmed to their task. ERGS’s first try came from quick hands along the back line to release inside centre, Oliver Hamill, who committed the Armagh full back before offloading to his supporting number 8, Noah Quigley, to touch down. Tadhg Hambly, at out half, shaved to outside of the posts with his conversion attempt.
Armagh retaliated by driving ERGS back into their own half and it took many forward carries and some accurate kicking by young Hambly to bring play back inside the Armagh 22m line. Quigley broke from the back of a scrum to feed scrum half, Paul McConkey, whose size belies his strength as he drove towards the Armagh line. Quigley latched on to help him over the whitewash and Hambly converted to put ERGS 12 – 0 up.
By this time the visitors were fully warmed up and momentum began to swing towards Armagh. Using backs and forwards they brought play up to the ERGS line where their second row combined to force their way over for an unconverted try. They were unlucky moments later when their powerful openside flanker touched down but the try was disallowed for double movement. Half time was called and the teams went in with the score at 12-5 in ERGS’s favour.
The second half continued with neither side having dominance and the play moving from one end of the pitch to the other. Enniskillen had two good chances, one through a line break by MccConkey and the other via an intercept by right wing, Eamon Greene. It was, however, a much more practiced move that gave them their third try. At a scrum close to the Armagh line Quigley fed McConkey, not for the first time, and McConkey drew the Armagh wing to set left wing, Timothy Harte, on a run to the line.
Armagh countered with a well-constructed move orchestrated by their very capable scrum half who ran a loop around the ERGS defence to score in the corner. Although Enniskillen had the majority of possession over the final quarter they consistently gave away penalties, resulting in a yellow card, and Armagh were allowed back up to the ERGS line where their openside flanker got just rewards for his hard work with a pushover try. Armagh’s out half converted and the score stood at an equitable 17 points a piece with only a few minutes left on the clock.
Enniskillen had more possession and more territory than their opponents and looked the more dangerous throughout the match and although neither side would have complained about a draw , ERGS merited the victory they claimed with the last play of the match. A high tackle by Armagh on winger, Harte, brought Enniskillen up to the Armagh line with the penalty kick. A rolling maul ensued from the lineout and flanker, Luke Smyton, went over for the winning try and a final score of 22 points to 17.
It was a well contested and entertaining game. Armagh will be marginally consoled by their 2ndXV who managed a 21-17 victory from ERGS 2ndXV on the adjacent pitch.
