Enniskillen Rangers dominate to progress in Mulhern Cup

Having dumped them out of the Irish Junior Cup last week, they repeated the feat in the Mulhern Cup on Saturday with Conor Rippey, Jordan McClure and Mark Cutler all scoring on their way to a 3-0 win.

Rangers were dominant in a first-half performance that manager Michael Kerr rated as one of their best of the season, with any prospect of a Lisbellaw fightback all but extinguished with the dismissal of Scott Johnston just before half time. 

“In the first half we were absolutely excellent,” acknowledged the Rangers’ boss.

“It was one of the best 45 minutes we have possibly played this season. From start to finish in the first-half we did everything right. We passed the ball, we made the pitch big, we closed the gaps, and we created a lot of chances.

"It was only 2-0 at half-time but I felt it could have been a lot more. We hit the post twice and their keeper made a few saves, but overall I was really pleased with the first half.

"We were taking nothing for granted at half-time, but in the second-half it went flat. They sat in and tried to hit us on the counter-attack, but Joel Peden didn’t have a save to make in the second half. I was delighted with the performance. We thoroughly deserved the win.”

Lisbellaw manager Kyle McCleery agreed that his team were second best.

“It was one-way traffic. In the first half we were completely outplayed in all areas of the pitch,” he conceded.

“They were battering us. They were retaining possession, and we were camped in our half and couldn’t get out. They were playing us off the park and only Josh Brownlee making two brilliant saves kept us at 2-0.

"I was thinking if we got in only two down then a goal in the second half would change the game, but then Scott Johnston was sent off and at 2-0 down and 10 men it is a mountain to climb in the second half.

"In fairness to the boys we played a lot better, kept the ball better and worked a lot harder. We denied them time on the ball. I thought the second half was a much more even contest, but the damage was already done.”

Scott Moutray looks to control the ball as Enniskillen Rangers midfielder, Nathan Khan closes in. (Image: Donnie Phair)

Rangers made a dream start and took the lead after just four minutes when Lisbellaw failed to deal with a cross from the right.

Philip Beacom’s attempted clearance from inside his own six-yard box struck teammate Jamie Coalter and the loose ball was slammed past Brownlee by Rippey.

Rangers continued to press forward and Joel Byrne got to the byline down the right and cut the ball back for McClure, but Brownlee got down to save.

Rippey then saw his shot touched onto the post by the keeper, but he could do nothing to prevent a second goal after 17 minutes.

Ronan Beattie picked up possession from a throw-in and drove towards the byline, before cutting the ball back for McClure to blast in at the near post.

Lisbellaw were limited to long-range efforts from Johnston and Scott Moutray as they struggled to contain a rampant Rangers, and their hopes of a comeback were dealt a further blow when Johnston received two yellow cards within four minutes just before the half-time interval.

The home team added a third 10 minutes into the second-half when a long ball caught out the Lisbellaw defence and Cutler ran clear and fired the ball into the top corner.

Moutray had the visitor’s best chance but lifted his effort over the bar from 12 yards out, but it was a rare attempt at goal as Rangers strolled into the last eight of the competition.