Enniskillen Rangers cruised through the first round of the Mulhern Cup, firing six goals past Ballinamallard Reserves without reply.

Stuart Rainey, Jason Keenan and Joel Byrne had given the home team a three goal advantage at half time, and further strikes from Keenan again, Ciaran Brough and Jordan McClure in the second half made it 16 goals in two cup games for Michael Kerr’s team.

“Our attacking lads are going well, but it is at both ends of the pitch because it is another clean sheet which is pleasing,” said Kerr.

“We knew Ballinamallard Reserves would be young and enthusiastic and we didn’t want them coming and getting a foothold early in the game. We wanted to try and dominate from early on. 

“Out of possession we wanted to press them and close them, and use our physicality because we knew they were a younger outfit. I compared the game to the time I played for Ballinamallard against Crusaders.

“We went to the quarter final of the Irish Cup thinking we had a chance, and after 20 minutes we were 3-0 down and it was men against boys that day. On Saturday we showed that we are a good side, and we were on top for most of the game.”

Ballinamallard Reserves manager Ally Irwin admitted his team were second best to Rangers on the day: “It was an imperfect storm of us having a particularly bad day and meeting a quality Rangers team that had a good day.”

“There are no excuses and no hiding places. On the day Rangers were a lot better than we were and it shows me and the players that while we are dominant and playing well at our current level, there is a long way to go if we are to be where we want to be in 18 months’ time. I believe in the quality of the individuals we have, but there is still work to be done as a team to get us to where we need to be.”

Rangers started quickly and denied Ballinamallard any time to settle, and they were rewarded after 17 minutes with the opening goal. Jamie Robinson carried the ball out of defence and found Jason Keenan, who had dropped into midfield.

His first time lay off allowed Rainey to drive at the Ballinamallard defence, and he evaded one tackle before bending a shot low into the far corner from the edge of the penalty area.

Rangers added a second after 30 minutes when they broke down the right through Mark Cutler, who broke through a challenge and slipped in Keenan.

The away side’s appeals for offside were waved away as Keenan rounded Calvin Brown and fired in from a tight angle.

On the stroke of half time it was 3-0. Mark White won possession and found Cutler, and he flicked the ball inside to Keenan, who played a first time pass to the overlapping White, and his low cross was converted by Byrne at the front post.

Mallards’ keeper Brown saved a Cutler penalty early in the second half, but the fourth arrived after 75 minutes when Henry Miskimmin was caught in possession in his own half and Keenan raced through and finished.

Brough converted a low cross from Cutler to make it five, and McClure completed the win, scoring from close range in the closing minutes.