Enniscorthy's unbeaten run in the league came to a shuddering halt at Park Avenue on Saturday afternoon with a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Railway Union V.
The difficulties of having a small pool of talent from which to choose from were exposed as the league leaders were missing six players for this top of the table clash. As a result, it was an unfamiliar starting eleven for the Slaneysiders. Having won the toss, Enniscorthy elected to tip- off, but the hosts swiftly took control of the game. Two short corners in a row after just two minutes were a harbinger of what was to come, and Enniscorthy struggled to establish a foothold in the game. Two more short corners came at the eight minute mark and nerves were becoming frayed in the visiting camp. Four minutes later the inevitable happened, Railway breaching the Enniscorthy defence and Graham Hill's goal to make it one- nil. Enniscorthy looked rattled. Further pressure was brought to bear but the visiting defence were quickly improving and Enniscorthy began to force their way into the game following a torrid opening twenty minutes. As a result, play shifted in favour of the visitors but Enniscorthy were unable to put the host defence under serious pressure.
At half- time Enniscorthy were able to look to the next half with optimism: Clive Rothwell, Jason Rothwell, and Roy Chapman were beginning to get on top of their opponents at midfield and John Casey and P.J. Pierce were settling well at the back. A confident restart by the Wexford men resulted in a short corner created by Rory Maguire after 39 minutes; the push out from Jonathon Rothwell reached Chapman, whose shot made it into the net but no goal was allowed as his strike had not hit the backboard.
Still, Enniscorthy felt a point at least was in the offing, but they had to be careful as Railway could be dangerous on the break. With ten minutes remaining, the hosts gained a short corner but with a similar result to Enniscorthy's sole short corner of the match: Hill was beaten, but the shot had not hit the backboard, and so the scoreline remained 1-0. A new sense of urgency came over the visiting team, and the home defence were put under sustained pressure; Ó Suilleabháin had a gilt- edged chance to equalise with two minutes remaining when he was at the receiving end of a cross from the right, but was unable to convert. Railway, though, held out and condemned the league leaders to their first defeat.
Enniscorthy meet Navan next Saturday and will hope to make amends for what was at times, a poor display. Manager Fraser Rothwell will doubtless be encouraging greater cohesion from his charges as the possibility of league victory looms ever closer.
Squad: Graham Hill; Rory Maguire; Niall Maguire; Andrew Rothwell; Roy Chapman; Jason Rothwell; Jonathon Rothwell; Robbie Walshe; Clive Rothwell; Cathal Ó Suilleabháin; Seamus McAllister; John Casey; P. J. Pierce; Kieran Costello.
The difficulties of having a small pool of talent from which to choose from were exposed as the league leaders were missing six players for this top of the table clash. As a result, it was an unfamiliar starting eleven for the Slaneysiders. Having won the toss, Enniscorthy elected to tip- off, but the hosts swiftly took control of the game. Two short corners in a row after just two minutes were a harbinger of what was to come, and Enniscorthy struggled to establish a foothold in the game. Two more short corners came at the eight minute mark and nerves were becoming frayed in the visiting camp. Four minutes later the inevitable happened, Railway breaching the Enniscorthy defence and Graham Hill's goal to make it one- nil. Enniscorthy looked rattled. Further pressure was brought to bear but the visiting defence were quickly improving and Enniscorthy began to force their way into the game following a torrid opening twenty minutes. As a result, play shifted in favour of the visitors but Enniscorthy were unable to put the host defence under serious pressure.
At half- time Enniscorthy were able to look to the next half with optimism: Clive Rothwell, Jason Rothwell, and Roy Chapman were beginning to get on top of their opponents at midfield and John Casey and P.J. Pierce were settling well at the back. A confident restart by the Wexford men resulted in a short corner created by Rory Maguire after 39 minutes; the push out from Jonathon Rothwell reached Chapman, whose shot made it into the net but no goal was allowed as his strike had not hit the backboard.
Still, Enniscorthy felt a point at least was in the offing, but they had to be careful as Railway could be dangerous on the break. With ten minutes remaining, the hosts gained a short corner but with a similar result to Enniscorthy's sole short corner of the match: Hill was beaten, but the shot had not hit the backboard, and so the scoreline remained 1-0. A new sense of urgency came over the visiting team, and the home defence were put under sustained pressure; Ó Suilleabháin had a gilt- edged chance to equalise with two minutes remaining when he was at the receiving end of a cross from the right, but was unable to convert. Railway, though, held out and condemned the league leaders to their first defeat.
Enniscorthy meet Navan next Saturday and will hope to make amends for what was at times, a poor display. Manager Fraser Rothwell will doubtless be encouraging greater cohesion from his charges as the possibility of league victory looms ever closer.
Squad: Graham Hill; Rory Maguire; Niall Maguire; Andrew Rothwell; Roy Chapman; Jason Rothwell; Jonathon Rothwell; Robbie Walshe; Clive Rothwell; Cathal Ó Suilleabháin; Seamus McAllister; John Casey; P. J. Pierce; Kieran Costello.
