Tummery Athletic 3 NFC Kesh 1

Kesh’s hopes of a first-ever Mercer League title ended with a 3-1 defeat to Tummery in their final league game of the season.

Kesh needed to defeat the reigning champions and hope Tummery got the better of Enniskillen Rangers in the league finale on Tuesday. 

And they looked to be on course for victory when Danny Wilson put them ahead after 18 minutes.

However, Tummery turned the game on its head with two goals in two minutes from Martin Hughes and Aidy McCaffrey giving them a half-time lead. 

A second-half strike from Paudi Dillon set up their title decider with Rangers.

After a slow start, Tummery manager Ryan Hanna was delighted with his team’s response to falling behind.

“In the first 25 or 30 minutes I thought Kesh were the better side, but after they scored it kicked us into gear and I thought in the last 15 minutes of the first half we were really good,” he said.

“It was a great reaction from 1-0 down to get in 2-1 up at half-time. We knew that 15 minutes wasn’t enough, but in the second-half I thought we were a lot better.

"We controlled the game and created chances and minimised Kesh’s threat. After we scored the third we kept the ball and defended well. The result was the most important thing but at this stage of the year if you are putting performances together as well then it’s a good sign. The lads are hungry and we have good cohesion and good rhythm.”

Danny Wilson had given Kesh an early advantage to give them hope of prolonging their title challenge, but it was a short-lived lead.

The only time Tummery had failed to score in a game this season was against Kesh in the reverse fixture in October but there was to be no repeat of Kesh’s clean sheet as Martin Hughes fired in an equaliser from Malachy McLaughlin’s cross after 38 minutes.

Tummery then moved ahead two minutes later when Kesh only partially cleared a cross and McCaffrey took a touch and found the bottom corner of the net from 12 yards out.

Tummery had the better of the chances in the second-half with McLaughlin heading wide from Gary Duffy’s cross, and substitute Gary McGuigan failing to get proper contact on a header with his first touch after his introduction.

With 10 minutes remaining Tummery sealed the win with a flowing team move that ended with Dillon collecting McLaughlin’s pass and slotting underneath Kesh keeper TJ McMulkin.