Tummery Athletic 3 Enniskillen Rangers 2 (aet)

Tummery Athletic twice came from behind to defeat Enniskillen Rangers and progress to the last eight of the fonaCAB Junior Cup.

Jason Keenan and Nathan Khan twice put the away side in front, but Declan McNulty pegged them back on each occasion before Paul McHugh fired home the winner in extra time.

“It was an unbelievable cup tie that had everything,” admitted Tummery Manager Ryan Hanna.

“It was a bit of deja vu from the league game. I thought we were the better team in the first half, and Rangers were slightly better in the second half than they were in the first.

“They created a bit more and looked a bit more dangerous, but over the course of the 110 minutes, including extra time, I personally think we deserved to go through.

“I was proud of the way the lads performed, given the conditions. I know it’s the same for both teams, but the endeavour, spirit and never say die attitude as well as the quality at times was pleasing.

“It was a good performance, and we are delighted to be moving on to the next round.”

Rangers boss Neil Coulter was frustrated his side had come so close only to end up with nothing to show for their efforts, and felt his side had done enough to sneak a victory.

“I can’t fault the players,” he said. “They gave so much throughout the game, but it was just one that got away.

“When you play in conditions like that it is never going to be free-flowing football, and you have to look at the players’ attitude and work rate, and I couldn’t fault them. They did everything they could, but just that wee bit of luck went against us.

“I think if we had kept the lead for another two or three minutes after we scored the second goal, then we definitely would have won it.

“I thought Tummery shaded the first half, but in the second half we were definitely the better team, and going into extra time we were on the front foot.

“Even in the first half of extra time, I thought we were the better team, until Tummery got the goal.

“Then they sat back, and we pushed hard but we never really threatened them that much after they scored.”

Both sides struggled

In difficult, blustery conditions both sides struggled to carve out many clear-cut chances in the first half, with Tummery’s Aidan McCaffrey forcing a save from Peden midway through the half.

McCaffrey also headed wide from McNulty’s cross, while at the other end Stuart Rainey and Mark Cutler both had shots wide of the target.

The breakthrough finally arrived for Rangers in the 51st minute when Khan picked up the ball in midfield and slid a pass through for Keenan, who fired into the corner of the net from just inside the penalty area.

Rangers held their advantage for 20 minutes, but gave Tummery a great opportunity to level the scores when Matty Chambers was adjudged to have brought down Paul McHugh inside the area, but Peden touched McCaffrey’s penalty onto the post.

The reprieve for Rangers only lasted four minutes. McHugh was adjudged to have been fouled, and despite Rangers’ protests, the referee awarded the free kick and McNulty drilled a shot into the top corner.

The game swung back in Rangers’ favour five minutes later when Ritchie Johnston delivered a free kick into the area. Coulter challenged the keeper, and although he could not force the ball over the line, the loose ball was blasted home by Khan to restore their lead.

This time it only took Tummery two minutes to hit back, levelling from McNulty’s penalty after McHugh was brought down.

Early in extra time Niall McCrory pulled off a crucial stop to deny Keenan, and it proved crucial as McHugh won it for Tummery when he won possession high up the pitch and fired in the winner.