Enniskillen Rangers 3 Tummery Athletic 1

Enniskillen Rangers manager Michael Kerr felt his side fully deserved their victory, as the league title winners claimed the Kennedy Cup with a 3-1 victory over Tummery Athletic.

Tummery’s new signing Barry Goodwin opened the scoring for the Mulhern Cup holders, but Rangers equalised before half-time through Jordan McClure, and second half strikes from Stuart Rainey and Joel Byrne earned them the first trophy of the new season.

“We 100 per cent deserved to win it,” said Kerr.

“We should have scored another couple, especially in the second half. The first half was nip and tuck. We probably gave them a little too much possession for the first 20 minutes because of the way we set up at the start, but we changed that and we grew into it more and more.

"There were a few harsh words at half-time because I thought we could have been better. We were sloppy and too far off our men, but we absolutely dominated the second-half from start to finish.

"We had a lot of shots on target, missed a few chances, we hit the post. We thoroughly deserved the win. It is nice to win the first trophy of the season. It was probably the two best teams from last year because it was first against second and the Mulhern winners, so it was nice to win it.”

Tummery’s new manager Kevin McAleer was frustrated with his side’s second half display after they had made a encouraging start.

“It was a game of two halves,” he acknowledged.

“I thought we started very well and created good chances and were probably unlucky not to go in 2-1 up. When we settled into the game we were doing the simple things really well, but in the second-half we stopped doing them. We had no patience on the ball and were kicking it long. I have no issues with the result. The best team on the day won.”

“Our preseason has been very stop start. We had three friendlies where the other teams pulled out and it was hard to get games, but the training itself has been good and this was good minutes in the legs. The first half was even and a better reflection of how we are going to be during the season, but second half we just stopped doing the simple things.”

After an closely contested opening 20 minutes Tummery took the lead when Barry Goodwin, who arrived at the club from Irvinestown Wanderers during the summer, won possession in midfield and drove at the Rangers defence before slotting past Joel Peden.

Rangers pulled level on 36 minutes when Kyle Derry crossed from the right wing.

The Tummery defence failed to clear the danger, and although Byrne’s shot was saved by Niall McGrory, McClure followed in to dispatch the rebound and level the game.

Tummery almost edged ahead again when Shea Devlin blocked a Joel Peden clearance, but the ball was cleared before it crossed the line as the match reached the half-time interval at one apiece.

Rangers’ goalkeeper Joel Peden had to depart injured at half-time, but his replacement had little to do in the opening stages of the second half as Rangers dominated.

McCrory saved from McClure after he had raced clear of the defence, before Rangers took the lead for the first time after 72 minutes.

Rainey picked up possession inside his own half and advanced deep into Tummery territory before playing a one-two with Ciaran Brough and firing low into the bottom corner of the net.

Four minutes later they sealed the victory with a third. Jake Browne threading a pass through the defence for Joel Byrne to convert.

There was still time for Jason Clough to have a shot touched onto the post, and Rainey also blasted over with the goal gaping.

Tummery had an effort hacked off the goal line, but Rangers held on to take the win.

The only negative for Rangers’ manager Kerr was Joel Peden’s addition to a lengthy list of unavailable players.

“Joel was probably the one person we couldn’t afford to get injured,” admitted Kerr.

“We are already down to the bare bones as it is. We have no Ciaran Smith, no Eoin McManus, no Ronan Beattie, Mark Cutler, Conor Rippey. I had no Nathan Khan on Friday. Willie Burleigh has retired.

"Seven players that were in my squad every week last year are out, and all bar Nathan are out for the foreseeable, so the last thing I needed was Joel getting injured.”