Irvinestown Wanderers marked their return to the top flight with a hard earned point away to ten man Enniskillen Town at the Lakeland Forum on Saturday.

The visitors had led at the break through Gary Maguire’s free kick which came after Town’s new signing Mark Lyons was red carded for pulling down Joey Miller on the edge of the box and they also had some good chances at the start of the second half to add to their advantage.

Town are again expected to be among the title contenders this season and despite being down to ten men they responded well with Conor Tummon slotting home from close range to level things up before the same player powered a superbly struck free kick to the top corner to put Rory Judge’s side in front.

Wanderers though secured a share of the spoils as the impressive Liam Murphy tucked the ball beyond Pat Cadden in the Town goal to leave it 2-2 at the finish.

Irvinestown joint manager Dermot McCann felt that the scoreline was a fair one.

“I think that a draw was a fair reflection on the game. Possession wise, Town shaded things but we had the better chances over the course of the 90 minutes,” he said. “I know that Town were down to ten men but to go away to a good side, one that will be up there challenging at the end of the season, and to come away with a point is pleasing.” Judge says that given they played an hour of the game with ten men, he was satisfied with the point from the game.

“If you told me we would have a man sent off and then go a goal down inside the first half and still get something out of the game then I would have been pleased enough although having went 2-1 ahead it was disappointing not to take all three points. Irvinestown would have had the better chances in the game but we had decent chances too and overall it is not the worst result,” he said.

And the Town boss was impressed with the discipline Irvinestown displayed in carrying out their game plan.

“They came with a plan and they stuck to it throughout the game and if they have the discipline to do that throughout the season then they will be okay,” he added.

Irvinestown set up defensively in a bid to restrict the home side and this worked in the early stages although Town did have a couple of efforts with Malcolm Crawford heading wide and Paddy Beresford firing inches past the post.

Irvinestown though began to grow into the contest and had their first chance of the game in the 20th minute when Liam Murphy met a corner with a volley but his effort was off target.

With half an hour played though it was advantage Wanderers. Town’s Lyons was adjudged to have pulled down Miller on the edge of the box and referee Barry Monaghan had no hesitation in showing the red card. And to make matters worse for the home outfit, Maguire stepped up and slotted home from the resultant free kick to give Irvinestown the lead.

Town pressed after this but Irvinestown stood firm to retain their lead at the break.

Indeed, Irvinestown started the second half well and Gary Maguire fired wide at the back post from a Murphy ball while Maguire was then played through one on one against Town goalkeeper Pat Cadden but he shot wide.

Wanderers were also to hit the post through Murphy although Pat Cadden had it covered had the ball been on target.

It was Town though who took the game by the scruff of the neck after this with substitutes Darren McQuade and Adam Breen giving them more impetus and McQuade was involved in the equaliser on the hour mark. He controlled a ball that came to the back post and although his subsequent shot deflected off an Irvinestown defender, it fell to Tummon who tucked it away from six yards.

And the ten men looked to be on their way to the points when they took the lead in the 78th minute. Frank Wallace was taken down by Johnny McGovern and Tummon stepped up to fire home a peach of a free kick past Wanderers goalkeeper Fergal Murphy.

Judge’s side had chances after this to put the game to bed but Ryan Hanna and McQuade failed to convert as the score remained 2-1.

However, there was to be a further twist before the final whistle as Irvinestown struck back to snatch a point. Jack Keane rolled the ball into Murphy and he controlled before swivelling and slotting the ball low to the corner as the sides had to be content with a point apiece.