Tummery 1 NFC Kesh 1

A Ryan Beatty equaliser against ten-man Tummery Athletic extended Kesh’s unbeaten run to 14 games, but both managers were left feeling they could have taken more from the game.

Oisin Gormley’s Red Card after 20 minutes piled the pressure on Tummery, but Manager Ryan Hanna was delighted with their response, and felt his team’s efforts should have been rewarded with a victory.

“It was as good a ten-man performance as I have ever seen, and I am absolutely gutted that we didn’t get the three points,” he said.

“We didn’t get the luck on the day, but I couldn’t ask any more from the lads. When you go down to ten men after 20 minutes you probably would take a point, but the performance deserved so much more.

“As the game went on we got tired and there were a few more gaps, but in terms of chance creation we had just as many as Kesh did.

“We should have been 2-0 up, and that would have killed the game, and we were disappointed in the goal we conceded.

“It was an average shot from distance and Niall [McCrory]admitted he should have dealt with it, but he didn’t, and that took the wind out of our sails a wee bit because we had defended so well up to that.

“I could not have asked for any more.”

Kesh boss Ryan Campbell admitted that Tummery pushed them all the way despite their numerical disadvantage, but he felt his side’s strong finish to the game should have earned them the win.

“We hit the post and put one over the bar from close range, so when I look back on it as a whole it feels more like two points dropped,” he admitted.

“In the first half it turned into a battle in the weather conditions. We had a chat at half time about trying to move the ball better because we were getting into a battle, and against ten men that’s nearly as hard as playing against 11.

“They got a goal out of nothing but that sparked us into life, and we dominated then, but we just couldn’t get a winner.”

Tummery had the best of the early chances in driving rain at Crawford’s Lane with Paul McHugh twice firing over the bar in the opening minutes, but their momentum was stalled when they found themselves reduced to ten men.

Justin Palmer’s challenge sparked a melee and when the players were separated, the referee brandished a Red Card for central defender Gormley.

Despite the setback the home team continued to hold the upper hand, with player Manager Ryan Hanna filling in effectively at centre back.

Kesh were restricted to one long-range effort from Nathan Cashel in the first half that flew harmlessly over the bar, but at the start of the second half it was all Tummery.

They got their reward after 54 minutes when Declan McNulty lofted a free kick into the penalty area that evaded everybody and bounced in off the far post to open the scoring.

McNulty then turned provider to set Martin Hughes clear on goal, but with just McCusker to beat he fired wide of the post.

As the game entered the final quarter Kesh finally started to gain the upper hand and take advantage of their extra man, and they got back on level terms when Ryan Beatty’s long-range effort bounced just in front of McCrory and evaded his dive.

McHugh felt he was fouled in the penalty area, but Tummery appeals were waved away by the referee, before Kesh took control.

Campbell broke down the right and squared for Cashel but his shot struck the outside of the post.

Gareth Keys then set up substitute Jack Beatty, but his shot from six yards out was ballooned over the bar as Tummery held on for a point.

 

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