Derrychara United 3 Maguiresbridge 1

Derrychara United returned to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over Maguiresbridge on Saturday.

The Enniskillen side put their first league defeat of the campaign behind them thanks to two goals in the last 15 minutes from Lee Glass.

“I am delighted to get the win,” admitted manager Andy Reilly.

“It was a great response from the lads after last week. They showed great character to keep persevering and playing football the right way in awful conditions.”

Maguiresbridge fought hard to stay in touch with the home team, but manager Andy Carleton acknowledged that his weakened side were second best.

“We just weren’t good enough on the day,” he conceded. “We had five or six missing but the boys that came in worked hard and were committed and fought to the very end.

“The heart was there, but we just weren’t good enough on the day and they had a wee bit more quality than we had. The boys gave me all they had and I couldn’t have asked for more, but Derrychara took their chances and that was that.

“It’s a pity we didn’t have a few more boys available. There are only four players that have played in all our games this season and that tells its own tale.”

In wet and windy conditions Derrychara made the perfect start when they took the lead with just two minutes on the clock when Scott Walker fired a low cross into the penalty area and Ronan McManus deflected the ball past his own goal keeper.

Barry McCann then had an opportunity to extend the lead as he raced through on goal, but he lifted the ball over the keeper and over the crossbar.

Midway through the half Maguiresbridge hauled themselves back into the game when a deep corner was tapped in at the back post by Stuart Murphy. Derrychara thought they had restored their advantage only for McCann’s strike to be ruled for offside as the teams reached the half time interval on level terms.

Derrychara introduced Lee Glass from the substitutes bench early in the second half, and he quickly made an impact, winning his side a penalty when he was brought down inside the area, but Trimble saved Craig Johnston’s spot kick.

Maguiresbridge hit the crossbar with an Ian Henderson free kick but Derrychara were becoming increasingly dominant, and Stephen Bruce had a goal disallowed for offside.

They were rewarded with 15 minutes remaining when Glass converted a Jamie McFarlane cross.

And the home team sealed the win when Glass netted again in the final minute, rounding the keeper to make sure of the points.