Irvinestown Wanderers 1

Tummery Athletic 3

Tummery Athletic’s fine run of form continued on Saturday as they picked up the points on offer from their encounter against Irvinestown Wanderers at the Bawnacre.

Gerry Love’s side now have six wins and a draw from their seven league games and have to be considered as a real title contenders.

Two Ruairi Sludden goals put them into a 2-0 half time lead and although Irvinestown pulled a goal back through Odhran Mulligan, a Leo Meenan goal wrapped up the points for the Dromore side.

“It was never going to be easy as they are playing well at the minute and I thought this would be a very tricky game for us so we’re delighted to get the win and another three points. I have to say, the support we had with us was fantastic,” said Love.

And he will be hoping that they can maintain their push this Saturday when they take on Lisbellaw although Love is expecting a tough test.

“Lisbellaw seem to have been picking up recently and they have not been conceding many goals so it will be a difficult game,” he added.

Irvinestown manager Ryan Beacom felt that Tummery’s greater experience was a key factor in the game. “They have a lot of experience in their side and it told in the way they managed the game but I thought that we put up a very good performance against what I would consider to be one of the two best teams in the league.

“We will just look to learn from this and take that into this Saturday’s game against Mountjoy,” he stated.

It was the home side who started Saturday’s game the brighter but Tummery were first to threaten the goal when Aidy McCaffrey cut in and got his shot away but Francie Ward in the Wanderers goal was out quickly to make a good save.

The visitors though were to take the lead in the 24th minute as Sludden grabbed his first of the day.

He picked up possession from a throw in and cut in before letting fly with an effort that nestled in the corner of the net for 1-0.

Ward stopped Tummery adding to their advantage when he pulled off a smart double save from first McCaffrey and then Emmett McNabb.

Ronan Ormsby did have a couple of half chances from headers for Wanderers while Joey Millar blazed over but the away side were to go in with a two goal lead at the break as Sludden again netted.

A mistake at the back by Wanderers allowed Gerry McCullagh to nip in and rob the ball and he fed Sludden who slotted home from the edge of the box.

There was little in the way of clear cut chances in the opening spell of the second half but with 12 minutes to go Irvinestown were brought back into the game. Youngster Odhran Mulligan beat Tummery goalkeeper Chris Catterson to a through ball and he did well to tuck the ball home to make it 2-1.

However, Tummery were to restore their two goal advantage five minutes later.

Sludden this time turned provider as his well delivered free kick made it’s way through to substitute Leo Meenan who headed home at the back post to guarantee the three points for the away side.