Late penalty leaves Tummery four points away from title

Tummery Athletic strengthened their grip on the Mercer Cup with a late winning penalty from Declan McNulty taking them six points clear at the top of the table.

With three games to play Ryan Hanna’s side need four points to guarantee themselves the title, with Saturday’s win over Enniskillen Town the latest in a growing list of matches won by a late Tummery goal.

“It is a good habit that we have, and it has been very important over the course of the season,” acknowledged Hanna, who was glad to see his team bounce back from their recent setback against Killen.

“It was a great response to last week. We played very well over the course of the 90 minutes which was pleasing. We created chances in both halves and our work rate and our general play was good in a competitive game.

“We had that sick feeling last week, because we haven’t tasted defeat too often this year, so it was good to respond against tough opponents.

“It could have easily gone the other way, but it was great character from the boys. Town had a good spell early on but after that we settled and got more dangerous as the first half went on.

“In the second half it was slightly cagier but I think we looked more threatening and more likely to score, and that paid off with the penalty at the end. It’s good to get back to winning ways and we need to keep that going for the remainder of the season. We need four points from the last three games, but I will be aiming for all nine!”

Enniskillen Town’s manager Rory Judge felt his side had done enough to earn something from the game, and was frustrated at the concession of the late penalty.

“It was a game of two halves,” he reflected.

“We should have gone into half time ahead by at least one, if not two. In the second half we had to defend a lot more and were less of an attacking threat, but we defended really well until a moment of madness near the end.

“I didn’t see them scoring so it was a bit of a kick in the teeth. Our second half wasn’t great, but I felt we still deserved to get a point.”

Town made a dream start when they took the lead in the first minute of the match, with Darren Freeman collecting Brendan Lilley’s cross and curling an effort from the edge of the area inside the far post.

Freeman then almost turned provider when he delivered a cross for Michael Simpson, but his diving header flew just wide of the upright.

As the half progressed Tummery started to impose themselves and Ruairi Sludden had a trio of efforts at goal without success, but Town came within inches of a second goal when Freeman charged down McCrory’s clearance, only for the ball to rebound over the bar.

After half an hour Tummery pulled themselves level, with player manager Hanna firing in a left foot volley.

Just before the interval Town almost restored their lead when Frank Wallace looked set to tap in Freeman’s cross at the back post, but a defender intervened to turn the ball over the crossbar.

Early in the second half Paul McHugh crashed a shot off the crossbar for Tummery, but Town were repelling the best efforts of the league leaders until the 86th minute when Brendan Lilley’s rash challenge on Declan McNulty earned them a penalty. And McNulty picked himself up to send the keeper the wrong way from the spot and edge his team a step closer to the title.