Enniskillen Rangers 5 Immaculata II 1 

Irish Junior Cup holders Enniskillen Rangers eased through their first-round match, scoring five against Immaculata IIs.  

Three goals in the first half from Stuart Rainey, Jordan McClure and Jake Browne had the game all but won at halftime, and although the West Belfast side pulled a goal back in the second half, Rangers never looked in danger of letting their advantage slip and they pulled further clear with a goal from Joel Byrne and a second from McClure. 

Enniskillen Rangers manager Michael Kerr was delighted with the result and also the discipline of his team in a match that threatened to boil over on occasion.

“It wasn’t a pretty game, but we are happy to get into the next round obviously,” said Kerr. 

“At halftime, the conversation was about getting through the game without picking up any bookings, which we managed to do.

"It was a hard and tough game but the bottom line in a cup competition is that you want to get through. It was job done and through to the next round. I am happy enough.” 

Rangers were gifted the first goal after an error from the Immaculata defence. Stuart Rainey collected a pass just over the halfway line and tried to turn the defender, but the Immaculata player looked to be in control of the situation until he under hit his pass back to goalkeeper Daire McAuley, and Rainey was able to nip in and slot past McAuley to open the scoring. 

Three minutes later Rangers doubled their lead from a corner, Jordan McClure rising unchallenged eight yards out to head downwards past the keeper.  

Four minutes before the halftime interval the home team confirmed their superiority with a third.

Kyle Deery picked up possession on the halfway line and slid a ball down the left for McClure, who took a touch and squared the ball for Jake Browne who had time to compose himself before slotting into the bottom corner. 

Immaculata pulled a goal back twenty minutes into the second half with a speculative cross from Ethan Morris that looped in off the far post, but Rangers quickly eradicated any thoughts of a comeback by the away team with a fourth goal of their own.

A quick counter attack saw Rangers outnumber the Immaculata defence, with Christopher Currie and Joel Byrne combining before Byrne rifled in a shot from 20 yards that the keeper failed to keep out. 

Rangers sealed the victory with another breakaway goal in the 77th minute, Jake Browne winning possession in his own half and bursting forward before squaring for McClure to net his second of the match.