Enniskillen Rangers won the Irish Junior Cup for the second time in their 64 year history following an imperious display at the National Stadium at Windsor Park on Monday.

Back in 1999, Rangers won the famous trophy for the first time with a team managed by Liam Williamson as a number of players who had gone so close to winning the cup on a number of occasions finally lifted the Holy Grail. It made the win so sweet.

This time around it is equally as sweet but for different reasons.

This time 10 years ago, Enniskillen Rangers had just been relegated to Division Three of the Fermanagh and Western for the first time in their history.

It was as they say a long but steady road back which came to a head at Windsor Park on Monday.

Indeed, it is the emergence from the doldrums which makes the win all the sweeter for the Ball Range men.

One of the men who soldiered through with the team from Division Three to Windsor Park was right back David Crozier who has literally felt the pain over the past few weeks as a broken toe in the semi-final win over Newry Celtic threatened his participation in the decider.

In fairness, very little stops David Crozier, and he made it back in time to produce another excellent display. Speaking after the final whistle, he was understandably delighted.

“It’s just means everything to me, look at the boys how happy they were at the final whistle, it is right up there.

“I got hit in the semi-final, I tried my best to get back in and Kerr had faith in me and put me back in. I hope I did not let him down, I just went out and tried my hardest and we got the result we deserved,” said Davy.

He added: “I am just so proud of the boys and for Burleigh to pick up man of the match, I am delighted for everything he does for the team.”

He admits, it will take a while to sink in.

“It has not really settled in yet, we’ll have a bit of a night tonight and then tomorrow it will kick in and then we’ll enjoy ourselves!”

Club chairman Enda Love was equally delighted.

“To produce the performance that the boys did on the big stage says so much about the management and their preparations and the players themselves. Michael has done a fantastic job since stepping up to the player/manager role,” said the chairman.

He added: “Credit must go to the IFA for staging the final at the National Stadium at Windsor Park, it meant so much to the players, the supporters and the club. It has been a magnificent day all around but of course the result was the main thing and it is great to see the club return to winning ways.”

Enda sees a bright future for the club.

“It is important that we continue to build on this win, no sitting back, we have a good squad of players, our Reserves are in the Reihill Cup final tomorrow night and that is the next focus. We have top class facilities at the Ball Range and we must continue to progress on and off the pitch. We have an aim of bringing a higher level of football to Enniskillen but we will do that at the right time. We had tremendous support at Windsor Park which was great to see and we must thank all our sponsors without whom we could not deliver what we deliver now and what we hope to deliver in the future.”

And so, Enniskillen Rangers have returned to the top of junior football with this win at the home of Northern Ireland football, as they emerged from the a few years in the shadows at a bright and sunny May Day in Belfast.