Enniskillen Santos bounced back from their heavy defeat at the hands of Magheraveely to inflict a similar score line on Enniskillen Athletic in their derby encounter at a sticky Celtic Park on Saturday.

Joe Keenan’s Santos outfit were hammered 5-1 in their last league outing but the Division Two table toppers were back to winning ways as they hit a depleted Athletic for five with Colin Murray helping himself to a hat-trick.

Indeed, it has veen a good week for Santos who were also reinstated into the Junior Cup after their appeal against Ardmore was successful.

Santos had appealed on the grounds that Ardmore had played two ineligible players and the Derry side were found guilty on one of these counts. It means that Santos will now face Orchard City at the Lakeland Forum on Saturday in Round Four of the competition with Tullymore Swifts awaiting the winner a week later.

Ardmore were banned from the Junior Cup for three years and fined £50.

“It was not as handy as the score line might suggest and I didn’t think that we played all that well but we were clinical with our chances and that was the difference. After we were beaten 5-1 in our last league game, it was pleasing to win this one 5-1 and it is a good boost going into the Junior Cup game this week,” said Keenan.

Athletic boss Peter Goan had no complaints about the result.

“We were badly depleted and I think the score was maybe a bit harsh but they came for the three points and that is what they got. I said all along that Santos and Irvinestown would go up and I still think that will be the case although Magheraveely are making a push in third place and are in good form at the minute,” said Goan.

Athletic did have a couple of early chances to take the lead in the game with Darrin Simpson twice put through but he was denied by Santos goalkeeper Gary Ramsey both times.

However, with 15 minutes on the clock, Santos took the lead. A long clearance from Richard Johnston looked to be running through to Athletic goalkeeper Aidan Leonard but when he remained on his line Christopher Keenan capitialised to nip in and slot home for 1-0.

The lead though was only to last four minutes as the home side hit back to level matters. Rory Leonard was upended in the box and Darren Rodgers stepped up to convert from the spot to make it 1-1.

Within seconds however Santos were back ahead. From the restart the ball was pushed wide to Conor Tummon and he was allowed to carry it forward on the left hand side before delivering a superb cross on to the head of Murray who steered his header home from the penalty spot for 2-2.

Athletic should have equalised for a second time when Stephen Curley produced some neat footwork before clipping the ball to the near post but James Carney headed wide.

And just before half time Santos extended their advantage as a Francie Hynes ball out of defence split the Athletic rearguard and, with the home side calling for offside, Murray confidently tucked the ball away to leave it 3-1 at the break.

The second half was to be controlled by the away side and they were to add another two goals to round off a comfortable win. Craig Johnston fired home a fine left footed effort to make it 4-1 and with full time approaching Murray completed his hat-trick, getting on the end of a Chris Hannon ball before tucking home.