Irvinestown Wanderers 5 Enniskillen Galaxy 1

Irvinestown Wanderers ran out 5-1 winners at home to Enniskillen Galaxy in the first round of the Mulhern Cup on Saturday.

Two penalties from Gary Maguire saw the Division Two runaway leaders secure a third win against relegation-threatened Galaxy this season after successive league victories over the Enniskillen side.

Galaxy almost edged themselves in front a few minutes into the game when Wanderers goalkeeper Shane Goan came out to clear a ball in behind the back four and Michael Dooris almost found the target from 30 yards from the clearance, but it came off the crossbar and out to let Wanderers off the hook.

Dwayne Carleton opened the scoring for the home side at the Bawnacre Centre after 17 minutes. He headed home from a Gary Maguire corner, and they found a second after just half an hour.

A positive run from Danny Noble in behind the Galaxy defence led to his shot being saved and Joey Millar was there to capitalise on the loose ball as he found the roof of the net to double his side’s lead.

Galaxy responded seven minutes later as Dooris added another to his account this season when he finished off a cross at the back post to make it 2-1 going into half time.

Substitute Caolan Ward restored Irvinestown’s two-goal cushion 14 minutes into the second half, Jordan Palmer’s cutback on the edge of the box fell into the stride of Ward whose right-footed effort curled into the top right corner to make it 3-1.

Ward was then taken down in the box with just over ten minutes to play. Gary Maguire stepped up and dispatched the penalty to put daylight between the sides.

Maguire found his second and his team’s fifth from the spot in the 87th minute when Millar was fouled in the box to round off an emphatic first-round win for Darren Higginbotham’s men.

Manager Higginbotham said he was delighted to see his side progress to the next round of the cup.

“I’m naturally delighted to get through. One of our targets at the start of the season was to get a good cup run and we are delighted to go through to the second round where we will face Beragh Swifts.

“But first and foremost, we are back to league action this weekend with a game against Castlederg which we will need to be at our best to get the win.”

 

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