Last minute agony leads to another defeat

Editorial Department • Published 29 Jul 2010 16:00 0 Comments

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Christopher Sheridan is challenged by a player from Co. Londonderry.

Fermanagh 1; Londonderry 2;

Fermanagh Premier team lost 2-1 to Londonderry yesterday (Wednesday) in the Dunluce Trophy quarter-final at Broughshane.

Fermanagh had taken a second half lead through Joshua McIlwaine but were pegged back when Londonderry converted from the penalty spot and then a scrambled goal minutes from time saw Fermanagh slip to defeat.

Paul Keenan's Premier side went looking for their first win of the week after they had suffered defeats in the opening two days to Belvedere and Porto.

An evenly contested first half saw both sides create a number of chances but a lack of composure in front of the posts meant that the game remained scoreless at the interval.

Keenan brought in goalkeeper Andrew Nevin for Joe McGovern for this game and Nevin made a couple of good stops to deny Londonderry in the first half while the goalkeeper also looked solid under the high ball.

The Fermanagh back four of Jordan Flack, Louis Leonard, Gary Phair and Paul McConkey put in strong first half performances while further up the field Lee Walker looked like the player most likely to unlock the Londonderry defence.

The first half was a typical battle between two county sides but Fermanagh did have chances. Walker had one good effort well saved by the goalkeeper while another good scoring opportunity fell to striker McIlwaine but he headed wide when he should have been hitting the target.

McIlwaine though was to make no mistake after half time when he fired Fermanagh in front. Paul McConkey fed McIlwaine on the left and he unleashed a terrific 30 yard drive to the back of the net.

However, the lead was short lived as the opponents hit back ten minutes later from the penalty spot after Phair was adjudged to have fouled.

The contest looked destined for penalties as the clock ran down but with only moments to go a free kick to the back post was knocked across goal and from the ensuing scramble the ball was poked home as Londonderry claimed the victory.

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 29 Jul 10

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