The Maxol-sponsored Carrick 1st XV were well beaten by Enniskillen in their re-arranged League match at Tom Simms Memorial Park on Saturday 13th April, going down by 48 points to 20. With seven 1st XV squad members not available, Carrick were always going to find it difficult against the team sitting third in the League table and, despite a spirited third quarter fight-back, so it proved. The task became even more difficult when the home side lost Robbie Williams, playing out of position at blind side flanker, late in the first half. Until late in the game, honours were pretty well even in scrum and line-out, where Mark Patterson, Chris Rogers and Daryl Smith did well for Carrick, but the visitors always had the edge in the loose. Their hard running forwards, especially the blind side wing forward, breached the gain line on numerous occasions and this led directly to a couple of tries. Enniskillen’s kick and chase game, especially with the breeze behind them in the first half, was also highly effective. However, as Carrick were to discover in the third quarter, the visitors’ mid-field defence could be breached and was, on two occasions, with alarming ease. For Carrick, Glen Picken had a solid game at scrum-half and filled in well as goal-kicker. Johnny Moore had a good debut at full-back and winger Reece Hamilton showed his attacking potential on the few occasions he was given the chance. In the pack,Adam Gibney carried strongly and Mark Patterson was busy in the loose as well as in the line-out. John Anderson and Aaron McKinney produced a number of line breaks and each opened up the Enniskillen mid-field for a well-taken try apiece.
The early stages of the game were fairly even and Carrick led by 6 points to 3 after ten minutes with two Glen Picken penalties against one from Enniskillen. However, after fifteen minutes the visitors scored their first try when one of their second row forwards went over in the corner following quickly re-cycled ball and a line-break in mid-field. The try was not converted. From this point on, Enniskillen began to look the more threatening and extended their lead after twenty-five minutes when their outsanding No 6 broke through from the Carrick 10 metre line and set up quick ruck ball for one of their props to go over in the corner. Again, the try was not converted but the same the blind side flanker extended the visitors’ lead with a great individual effort from close to half-way after thirty-five minutes. This try was converted and Enniskillen led by 20 points to 6 at the break.
The second half started disastrously for Carrick when their defence was breached once again and Enniskillen went over in the corner for their fourth try.. This try was converted. There then began something of a Carrick fight-back With one of the visitors in the bin for deliberately going off-side to prevent Carrick getting quick ball from a ruck on the Enniskillen line, the home began to put on some pressure. They were rewarded after twelve minutes of the half when Captain Aaron McKinney scored an excellent try; a well-timed pass from John Anderson at out-half put him into space and he stepped two defenders to score near the posts.Glen Picken added the conversion points and then ,five minutes, later John Anderson went right through the Enniskillen mid-field after going left and then switching the direction of the attack to the right. Again, Glen Picken added the points and, with the score at 27-20,it seemed that a famous recovery might be on the cards. However, it was not to be as Enniskillen re-asserted their dominance and hit back with tries after twenty-five, thirty-one and thirty -five minutes of the half. All were converted to give the final score of 48 points to 20.
This may well have been Carrick’s last match of the season- there is some doubt about whether the postponed match with Grosvenor will be played – and, if so,it is a disappointing way to finish.
The Carrick team which faced Enniskillen was:
J. Moore; R.Hamilton, K. Love, A. McKinney(Capt), B. Alexander; J. Anderson, G. Picken; E. Peacock, N. Hanna, A. Gibney, D. Smith, C. Rogers, R. Williams, M. Patterson, R.McGonigle.
