Enniskillen Town 1 Enniskillen Rangers 2 

Ten man Enniskillen Rangers are through to the semi-final of the Mulhern Cup after goals from Joel Byrne and William Burleigh saw them triumph over local rivals Enniskillen Town.

Rangers looked up against it when Jordan McClure received a fiercely disputed red card after just 25 minutes, but despite their numerical disadvantage two goals in the first 15 minutes of the second half ensured they made it through to a last four clash against either Mountfield or Tummery Athletic.

Rangers’ manager Michael Kerr was delighted with his team’s response to the red card and felt they were deserving winners.

“It was an unusual decision to send Jordan off, but we were glad to get out of it with the win,” he said.

“I was happy with the performance with 10 men. Being a derby it is never an easy place to go and then you are down to 10 men at half-time, but it was a case of trying to be compact when we were out of possession and stretch them when we were in possession.

"I felt we did really well in the second half. We defended well in numbers, closed the space and let them have it around their own half and halfway line.

"We knew at 2-0 the pressure was going to come, and it did, but they never broke us down.

"There was a lot of high aerial balls, but we dealt with them.

"In a local derby, form goes out the window, but I was glad the boys stood up to be counted. They were brave in possession when they got the opportunity to take a touch and pass it.

"I felt we were in control for much of the game, but obviously when you are 2-1 up and they have a wee bit of momentum and are putting you under a bit of pressure you fear the worst, but I was glad to see it out and was really glad to hear the final whistle.

"It is nice to progress to another Mulhern Cup semi-final.”

Cathal Beacom pulled a goal back for Town with 25 minutes remaining but they could not find an equaliser, and manager Rory Judge admitted they were second-best on the day.

“The better team won,” he conceded. “I thought we were rubbish from start to finish to be honest. The same old problem of not putting away chances really hit us hard, but at the same time I thought they were better with 11 men, and they contained us well with 10 men.

"We kept firing long balls in and I thought we would have been better than that. We were completely out of sorts all across the pitch and I don’t think we deserved to win it. If we had put away our chances it might have papered over a few cracks because we just weren’t good enough to win it.

"We weren’t at the races, and if we had got something from the game we would have stolen it. The onus was on us as the home team to go out and force the issue and we didn’t do it well.”

Rangers made a confident start as they looked to extend their 11-match unbeaten run and Gary Doherty had to save from Mark Cutler and Burleigh, but midway through the first half they were reduced to 10 when Jordan McClure was shown a red card by referee Rory Kelly.

The Rangers’ midfielder headed the ball along the touchline and as he turned and chased to keep it in play he crashed into Town assistant manager Emmett Carty, with the referee brandishing a red card that will also see McClure miss the Junior Cup semi-final.

Rangers’ frustration was further tested when they thought they had a penalty kick after a foul by James McKenna on Burleigh, but the referee ruled the contact was outside the penalty area and Rangers had to settle for a free kick.

Town were struggling to make their extra man count, and Rangers were rewarded with the first goal of the game three minutes into the second half when half-time substitute Byrne converted a cross from the right.

Matthew Dixon had an effort cleared off the line as Town looked to reply quickly, but it was Rangers that extended their lead on the hour mark when Jake Browne’s cross was headed in by Burleigh.

Town finally started to apply some pressure on the Rangers' defence and they pulled a goal back five minutes later when a long throw from Ethan Beresford was headed out to the edge of the area and Beacom volleyed past Joel Peden.

Conal Quinn then struck the crossbar with a header, and McKenna had a penalty claim waved away, but Rangers were still dangerous on the break and thought they had extended their lead when Jake Browne won possession from Thomas Owens and slid the ball under Doherty.

Owens recovered to hack the ball clear, and although Rangers were adamant the ball was well over the goal line, the referee did not award the goal.

McKenna and Frank Wallace both missed out on headed chances in the closing stages of the game, but Rangers held to their slender lead to secure their place in the last four.