NFC Kesh manager Scott Robinson felt his side didn’t get what they deserved after they lost last Friday night’s Mulhern Cup final 3-2 to Enniskillen Rangers.

Kesh looked to be in a difficult situation when trailing 2-0 and also down to ten men with half an hour on the clock but they rallied superbly and hit back to level things midway through the second half.

But with only two minutes to go a goalkeeping error ended their chances as Jason Keenan pounced to seal the win for the ‘Gers.

“Somebody has to win and somebody has to lose, that’s football, but I felt that on the night we deserved it more and we didn’t get what we deserved while they got that bit of luck with the first and third goals. When it is on your side it’s on your side and it just wasn’t with us.

“For me it is one that got away,” said Robinson.

Things could not have got off to a worse start for Robinson and his side as they went a goal and a man down inside 11 minutes.

“Rangers were out of the blocks really well in the first 15 minutes and they got the goal and then we had Justin sent off.

“We had spoken about how important it was to keep 11 on the pitch and that lasted all off 11 minutes. Maybe in hindsight it would have been smarter to go 2-0 down with 11 men rather than have ten men for 80 minutes or so,” he added.

When Rangers then added a second there looked to be no way back for the ten men but Robinson was delighted with how they reacted.

“I knew they would never lie down and I felt that from they got their second goal we started to get more and more possession and all we needed was a goal before half time, which we got.

“It was a great ball over the top and then Rocket finished really well.”

This lifted Kesh and they were on top for long spells in the second half as they hit back to equalise.

“When it got back to 2-2 I said to the boys on the line that I couldn’t see how we would lose the game.

“We were camped in their half but nobody has a crystal ball to predict what would happen with their late goal and when that happens in the 89th minute it is hard to come back from,” he added.

Goalkeeper Stefan McCusker’s mistake ultimately proved costly for Kesh but Robinson says they wouldn’t have been in the final if it wasn’t for their netminder.

“Stefan knows himself he made a couple of mistakes in the game and it is the worst position in the world to be when you make a mistake. But we wouldn’t have been in the final without him as he made a number of big saves in the quarter final to get us through that,” he said.

And Robinson says that he is proud of the efforts of his players on the night.

I’m so proud of boys. They were all excellent and to keep creating chances even when down to ten men was brilliant. They gave me everything, I couldn’t ask for any more,” he commented.

The game was a last in the Kesh jersey for veteran striker Mark Jones who will hang up the boots now. Jones came off the bench in the second half and Robinson says he will be a hard act to follow.

“We spoke all week about his contribution and we felt he would be better coming off the bench and to be fair he was involved in the penalty and he had a header near the end that could have won it.

“It would have been a fairytale if he could have finished with a winners medal but it wasn’t to be.

“He is irreplaceable and will be a big miss,” he said.

The focus now though for Robinson switches to next season and he is hoping to add to his squad ahead of the new season.

“We will regroup in pre-season and see about some fresh faces,” he said.

“I know the areas we need to sharpen up in and it is more about bringing in competition as much as anything.”