Friday will be Enniskillen Rangers first appearance in the Junior Cup final for four years after a devastating penalty shootout loss in 2020 to Willowbank.

Like this year, the final was played at a later date than usual, but for different reasons with the world still reeling from the global pandemic.

Rangers’ Nathan Khan came on as a substitute in that final and would endure penalty heartache along with his teammates who lost 4-2 on spot kicks to the Belfast side.

The midfielder will be looking for a brighter outcome in this year’s Junior Cup final on Friday, in Dungannon, against another Belfast side in the form of Cleary Celtic, who defeated Lincoln Court 2-0 in their semi-final tie.

“I was involved in the last one, but that was a different time with covid, it was just a different experience,” he said.

“There was no changing rooms, no fans, it was just a very different experience as a whole. I came on and obviously, we got beat on penalties which was disappointing, but this Friday will be the proper Junior Cup experience.

"We know certain aspects of them (Cleary Celtic), they are a very good side, I don’t think they’ve lost a lot of games over the last couple of years. It’s certainly going to be a tough game against them.

"They’ve went on quite a run over the last couple of years and it should be a tough, competitive final.”

Khan netted the opening goal in the semi-final of the competition, against Tummery Athletic, with a strike from 25 yards to kickstart a blistering 16-minute spell that would see the Enniskillen side go 3-0 up, with the game eventually finishing 3-1.

“It's been a really good run. Obviously, we had two Fermanagh and Western ties,” he added.

“A tough game against Lisbellaw in the quarter-final and then the semi-final against Tummery, which was one of the biggest crowds I’ve ever seen at a local football game.

"It’s great for the Fermanagh and Western, and personally to be involved in games like that. Those are the games you want to play in and that’s why you're trying hard throughout the year to get yourself a chance and opportunity to play in those games.”

Rangers’ place in this year’s final loomed over a dark cloud of uncertainty with ongoing appeals, after suspended player Jordan McClure’s involvement in the warm-up at Ferney Park, but Khan stated his side’s involvement in also pushing for this year’s Mercer League title was a healthy distraction that didn’t let them drop their standards in the midst of a confusing period.

“It didn’t really change much because we were still in the mix for the league, we just kept going, kept the heads down and just concentrated on the next league game because we knew how tight it was in the league,” Khan continued.

Rangers will be back in action next Tuesday where a win over Tummery, in their final league fixture, would seal the Mercer League title: “Two big games still to go obviously, but since the turn of the year, we’ve went on a really good run and sort of been taking it one game at a time.

"The preparation and training has been excellent, we’re nearly in June now but it’s just been really good from everyone.

"Mick (Kerr) deserves a lot of credit for that. I think it’s his fifth Junior Cup final or something like that, that’s no fluke or no coincidence, it’s the hard work that goes on behind the scenes that has got us there.”