‘Gers boss Kerr pleased with four goals and progress to next round

Holders Enniskillen Rangers set up a Round Three meeting away to Belfast side Aquinas following Saturday’s 4-1 win over Tullymore Swifts at the Ball Range.
The ‘Gers dominated the opening quarter and they were two goals to the good within 12 minutes following efforts from Willie Burleigh and Jay Keenan.
Tullymore did come back into the game and had a couple of chances to halve the deficit but Rangers reasserted themselves towards the end of the half and they put the game to bed on the hour mark when Jay Keenan bagged his second of the game.
And Mark Cutler went on to add a fourth before the away side grabbed a consolation goal with the last kick of the game.
Rangers boss Michael Kerr was pleased with the win and a place in the next round of the competition as they continue with the defence of their title.
“At the end of the day the cup is all about progressing to the next round and we achieved that,” he said. “It was not our best performance and we were maybe a bit rusty as we hadn’t played in a couple of weeks but in saying that we created chances and we scored another four goals which was maybe a bit of a problem for us last year at times.
“I would though be annoyed that we didn’t keep a cleansheet and it was disappointing to concede so late in the game but as I say the main objective was to get through and we did that,” he stated.
Rangers started the game well and right from the off they were on the front foot with David Crozier feeding Willie Burleigh but nobody was able to get on the end of his pull back.
Soon after though the opening goal of the game did arrive and player-manager Kerr was involved in the build up. His superb 40 yard diagonal ball found the on rushing Burleigh and at full stretch he slotted home from just inside the box for 1-0.
The home side continued to dominate matters and Mark Cutler spurned a great chance for number two. However, this was only a temporary reprieve for the away side and one minute later Rangers did have a second. Jay Keenan was felled in the box by Stephen Fegan and Keenan dusted himself down to fire low and hard to corner for 2-0.
Indeed, Keenan nearly made it three when he turned sharply in the area but his shot was well saved by John Bloomer, the Tullymore goalkeeper who was to later leave the fray through injury.
The away side though did begin to grow into the game as the half progressed and ‘Gers goalkeeper Jerome Carleton was forced into a good save from a Damian Fegan free kick while Eoin Devenney then wasted a glorious chance to bring his side back into the game when he volleyed over from 12 yards.
Rangers though reasserted themselves before the interval and Cutler went close following a mazy run while Keenan blazed wide from ten yards.
The next goal was always going to be crucial and it went the way of Rangers on the hour mark as Keenan produced a neat finish for his second of the game for 3-0.
And they wrapped things up as Andy Johnston cut the ball back for Cutler to slot home. Tullymore did pull a goal back with the last kick of the game while the only blot for Rangers was the dismissal of Crozier who reacted after a ‘Gers player was struck.
It is back to the league this week and a derby test for Kerr and his side against Enniskillen Town.
“We’ve a big derby game against Enniskillen Town on Saturday.
“These games are never easy, we won one apiece last season, but we are on a good run at the minute and hopefully we can continue to build on that,” added Kerr.