Fermanagh Premiers 1 Ipswich Town 1

Fermanagh grabbed their first point of the 2022 Northern Ireland Super Cup thanks to a second half equaliser from Kyle Deery against Ipswich Town at Broughshane.

The Enniskillen Rangers teenager blasted a shot in off the post from 20 yards to rescue a point for the county after they had fallen behind to a first half penalty.

First goal

Fermanagh went into the game in search of their first goal of the tournament after drawing a blank against Country Antrim the previous day, and they got off the mark in style with Deery’s spectacular drive finding the net off the inside of the post.

Tuesday’s match was originally scheduled to be a meeting with former winners Right to Dream but their replacements provided a stern test for the local side, with Kieran McKenna’s youth team starting brightly.

Despite being forced onto the back foot, Fermanagh denied Ipswich a clear sight of goal in the early exchanges, with Fermanagh coming close to opening the scoring when captain Aaron Smyton headed a Tommy Connolly corner just wide of the upright.

Ipswich continued to dominate possession and they were rewarded midway through the first half when Fermanagh goalkeeper Jamie Ray was penalised for a foul on Buabo. Manly converted the spot kick to give Ipswich the lead, as they looked to add to their opening day victory over San Francisco Glens.

Ipswich continued to threaten in the second half, and Jamie Ray had to dive full length to touch Adebayo’s effort around the post as the English side came close to adding to their lead.

Fermanagh responded by making a formation change, and that enabled then to get a grip on the game that was soon rewarded by substitute Kyle Deery’s spectacular strike.

Deery pounced on a loose touch by an Ipswich defender, and knocked the ball out from his feet before rifling a right foot effort into the top corner from outside the penalty area.

Almost immediately from the restart, striker Sean Conlon tried his luck from distance to put the lakeland county ahead, but his effort dropped wide of the post.

Jamie McCaffrey could have won it for Fermanagh, but his cross come shot from the right forced a goal line clearance from Town’s Seth O’Neill, and moments later Conlon’s bicycle kick from the edge of the area was easily claimed by Town’s goalkeeper.

In the dying seconds of the match Fermanagh survived a late scare as Ipswich fired just wide of the post, with Keith Douglas’ side holding on to claim their first point of the week.

Fermanagh: Jamie Ray, Alex Brownlee, Aaron Smyton, Jamie Steele, Jamie McCaffrey, Tommy Connolly (Kyle Deery 46’), Alex Magee (Ben McLaren), Josh Killilea (Harvey Latimer), Joel Byrne (Sean Conlon 46’), Corey Smith, Danny Wilson (Kealán Fitzpatrick 46’)

Unused Subs: Alex Little, Daniel Farrell