Enniskillen suffered heartbreak at Kingspan Stadium on Easter Monday as Ballynahinch 2nds scored a try in the dying seconds of extra time to emerge as 17-13 winners in the RiverRock Towns Cup Final.
It was a cruel result for Enniskillen, who lost to Bangor in last season’s showpiece event, and were aiming for a first triumph in the competition for 80 years.
Chris Orr was the hero for Ballynahinch, with a decisive try in the last play of the game.
It was a cagey first half with the only score coming via a 7th penalty kick from ‘Hinch fullback Patrick Wright.
The match’s first real try-scoring opportunity came after 25 minutes when Wright burst through and passed to Orr, only for his opposite man Robert Balacoune to track back and bundle him into touch.
Balacoune made a further try-saving tackle just two minutes later, this time on James McBriar, to thwart another threatening ‘Hinch attack.
Enniskillen’s best chance of the half came when fullback Ashley Finlay made a lovely outside break and found replacement Ricky Lee in support, however the move broke down a couple of phases later and ‘Hinch cleared the danger.
The second half was a much more lively affair. The Fermanagh men enjoyed a strong start after the interval and were rewarded with a penalty - from the boot of Adam Lendrum - to level the scores.
Enniskillen grew into he game after that and they recorded the opening try of the game on 55 minutes when an offload from Finlay sent Balacoune clear to dot down. Lendrum made no mistake with the conversion to push his team seven points ahead (3-10).
As ‘Skins continued in the ascendancy, Ben Pentland was shown a yellow card for a high tackle on Finlay. But ‘Hinch responded well and Conor Phillips forced his way over after a number of phases, with replacement Chris Quinn converting to tie the game at 10-10.
The County Down outfit pushed for a late score in normal time but another fine tackle by Balacoune denied them again at the death.
Lendrum pushed Enniskillen 10-13 ahead midway through the first period of added time, coolly slotting over a penalty from over 40 metres out.
Ballynahinch hit back with a great spell of possession and got to within inches of the Enniskillen try line, but the defensive effort held firm for the sustained period of pressure. Quinn saw a penalty attempt come back off the post, before Orr clinched the title. Quinn added the gloss with a touchline conversion to leave the final score reading 17-13.
BALLYNAHINCH 2nd XV:
15 Patrick Wright
14 Aaron Ferris
13 Callum McLaughlin
12 David Harris
11 Chris Orr
10 James McBriar
9 Chris Gibson
8 Graham McKitterick
7 Keith Dickson
6 Brian Howard
5 Andy Simpson
4 Kenny Morton
3 Andrew Weir
2 Ben Pentland
1 Ben Cullen
Replacements:
16 Stuart Orr
17 Conor Phillips
18 Gareth Gill
19 Chris Quinn
20 Chris Gibson
ENNISKILLEN 1st XV
15 Ashley Finlay
14 Robert Balacoune
13 James Ferguson
12 Michael Law
11 Matthew Balmer
10 Adam Lendrum
9 Paddy McCleery
8 Kaine Holden
7 Jack Harte
6 Jamie Johnston
5 David Buchanan
4 Gavin Parke
3 Gareth Beatty
2 Ryan Cathcart
1 Alan Ferguson
Replacements:
16 Steven Fox
17 Richard Beatty
18 James Carleton
19 Ricky Lee
20 Mark O’Shea
It was a cruel result for Enniskillen, who lost to Bangor in last season’s showpiece event, and were aiming for a first triumph in the competition for 80 years.
Chris Orr was the hero for Ballynahinch, with a decisive try in the last play of the game.
It was a cagey first half with the only score coming via a 7th penalty kick from ‘Hinch fullback Patrick Wright.
The match’s first real try-scoring opportunity came after 25 minutes when Wright burst through and passed to Orr, only for his opposite man Robert Balacoune to track back and bundle him into touch.
Balacoune made a further try-saving tackle just two minutes later, this time on James McBriar, to thwart another threatening ‘Hinch attack.
Enniskillen’s best chance of the half came when fullback Ashley Finlay made a lovely outside break and found replacement Ricky Lee in support, however the move broke down a couple of phases later and ‘Hinch cleared the danger.
The second half was a much more lively affair. The Fermanagh men enjoyed a strong start after the interval and were rewarded with a penalty - from the boot of Adam Lendrum - to level the scores.
Enniskillen grew into he game after that and they recorded the opening try of the game on 55 minutes when an offload from Finlay sent Balacoune clear to dot down. Lendrum made no mistake with the conversion to push his team seven points ahead (3-10).
As ‘Skins continued in the ascendancy, Ben Pentland was shown a yellow card for a high tackle on Finlay. But ‘Hinch responded well and Conor Phillips forced his way over after a number of phases, with replacement Chris Quinn converting to tie the game at 10-10.
The County Down outfit pushed for a late score in normal time but another fine tackle by Balacoune denied them again at the death.
Lendrum pushed Enniskillen 10-13 ahead midway through the first period of added time, coolly slotting over a penalty from over 40 metres out.
Ballynahinch hit back with a great spell of possession and got to within inches of the Enniskillen try line, but the defensive effort held firm for the sustained period of pressure. Quinn saw a penalty attempt come back off the post, before Orr clinched the title. Quinn added the gloss with a touchline conversion to leave the final score reading 17-13.
BALLYNAHINCH 2nd XV:
15 Patrick Wright
14 Aaron Ferris
13 Callum McLaughlin
12 David Harris
11 Chris Orr
10 James McBriar
9 Chris Gibson
8 Graham McKitterick
7 Keith Dickson
6 Brian Howard
5 Andy Simpson
4 Kenny Morton
3 Andrew Weir
2 Ben Pentland
1 Ben Cullen
Replacements:
16 Stuart Orr
17 Conor Phillips
18 Gareth Gill
19 Chris Quinn
20 Chris Gibson
ENNISKILLEN 1st XV
15 Ashley Finlay
14 Robert Balacoune
13 James Ferguson
12 Michael Law
11 Matthew Balmer
10 Adam Lendrum
9 Paddy McCleery
8 Kaine Holden
7 Jack Harte
6 Jamie Johnston
5 David Buchanan
4 Gavin Parke
3 Gareth Beatty
2 Ryan Cathcart
1 Alan Ferguson
Replacements:
16 Steven Fox
17 Richard Beatty
18 James Carleton
19 Ricky Lee
20 Mark O’Shea