Enniskillen Town 0

Bessbrooke United 1

Enniskillen Town missed out on a last 16 place in the fonaCAB Junior Cup, going down by a single goal to County Armagh side Bessbrook United at the Lakeland Forum on Saturday.

Town dominated much of the match, but they could not turn their superiority into goals, and an early Bessbrook goal after five minutes proved to be the crucial.

Town manager Rory Judge (pictured left) was hoping for a long run in the cup competition, and although his side were knocked out, he said he was happy with the efforts of his players in a frustrating game where the score line did not reflect the game.

“I think if we had scored about 15 goals it wouldn’t have flattered us at all,” he claimed.

“It was the most one sided game I have ever been involved in and the fact we couldn’t score was outrageous. We had about 20 corners and about the same number of shots on target but it wouldn’t go in.

“I have never seen a goalkeeping performance like it in all my life. The guy was phenomenal, but I can’t be that disappointed with our performance.”

Bessbrook made the perfect start to the match, capitalising on some slack defending from the home team to take the lead after five minutes.

Town went on the attack immediately to try and haul back the deficit and they thought they had equalised when a Bessbrook player tried to clear a cross. It ricocheted off his teammate and bounced towards goal before being hooked clear.

Town appealed strongly for a goal believing it had crossed the goal line, but the referee did not award the goal.

Stephen Clarke twice went close, first connecting with a cross from Frank Wallace but blasting straight at the goal keeper from six yards out.

Minutes later Clarke was presented with another opportunity. He attempted to loft the ball over the keeper, but the inspired keeper got his hand to the ball and diverted it over the bar.

Seamus Quigley then tried his luck with a free kick from 30 yards which bounced off the underside of the crossbar and fell kindly for a defender to clear.

Frank Wallace had a long range effort shave the outside of the post, and Conall Quinn also came close but could not make the breakthrough.

The chances continued to come and go for Town, with time eventually running out on their hopes of Junior Cup success.