Irvinestown Wanderers 5 Enniskillen Galaxy 1

Irvinestown Wanderers sealed their place in the next round of the Mulhern Cup with a 5-1 victory over Enniskillen Galaxy.

Division Two Galaxy held their first division opposition for 50 minutes before Galaxy were reduced to ten men, and Wanderers took full advantage, with a Stephen Sheridan hat-trick easing them into the next round where they will face Beragh Swifts.

“We took a long time to get out of the blocks,” admitted Wanderers’ manager Ryan Beacom.

“We weren’t fluid in the first half, and we weren’t able to string passes together. It was a bad day at the office that you want to forget, but we did take the lead although we gifted them an equaliser.

“We regrouped at half time and made a few changes and that seemed to help. We took the lead after 50 minutes and from that point we never looked back. It was nice to get a win considering where we are in the league. Performances have been there but results haven’t been going our way, and any win on a Saturday is nice.”

Galaxy manager Robbie Regan was pleased with his side’s efforts, but admitted that their chances of success were ended with the sending off.

“The boys battled hard against the wind in the first half, and then we got a man sent off and it all went wrong,” he conceded.

“That was the key moment. We knew Irvinestown would be on top, but our plan was to stay in it for as long as possible and maybe go for it in the second half.”

In the early exchanges Wanderers were restricted to long range efforts from Sheridan and Gary Maguire, but they hit the front after 20 minutes when Millar pulled the ball back for Sheridan to fire in his first of the match.

A Galaxy breakaway drew them level with Sean Gallinagh converting Hayden Love’s pass, but Jamie Kirkpatrick’s second yellow card early in the second half proved pivotal.

Irvinestown quickly retook the lead when Millar set up Sheridan to score, and the pair combined again moments later with Millar providing the finish. Paul Irvine then assisted Sheridan’s hat-trick goal and Millar completed the victory with his second of the match.