Champions Tummery held to scoreless draw by Rangers

LEAGUE champions Tummery Athletic were held to a scoreless draw at Crawford’s Lane on Saturday as Enniskillen Rangers made their point.

While it has been something of a transitional season for Rangers with Neil Coulter taking over as manager, they are still one of the toughest nuts to crack in the league and boast the meanest defence in the top flight.

Tummery had their chances on Saturday and player-manager Ryan Hanna was a little disappointed to come away with just a point.

“It is a point gained and a point more than we had beforehand but I’m a bit disappointed,” he said.

“It was a game of two halves really and we really should have scored in the first half. But then Rangers made some changes and were the better team in the second half so we can’t complain.

“It’s a point more than we had and there is nothing won in January, we just have to keep it going and move on to the next game.”

Title-chasing Tummery were the better team by far in the opening half and could have taken an early lead.

Six minutes in, Marty Hughes had an effort saved by Joel Peden. The rebound fell to Declan McNulty who poked it goalwards only for it to be deflected behind.

The resultant corner from the right side was met by a thunderous effort from Ciaran Beacom which just cleared the far upright.

On 20 minutes Tummery thought they had been rewarded for their lightning start to the half when Hughes delivered a pinpoint cross to the back post and the onrushing Aidy McCaffrey but he headed just wide with Peden stranded.

Rangers did come into the game and defender Eoin McManus forced a save from Niall McCrory.

The clearest sight of goal in the half came for Ruairi Sludden who tore through one on one on 42 minutes but his attempted lob over McCrory from the edge of the box also cleared the bar.

The Fermanagh side came out stronger and forced a series of set pieces though Beacom, Hughes and Chris Crilly were equal to anything thrown at them.

Mark Cutler and Stuart Rainey were looking dangerous and trying to find Jason Keenan in behind but that perfect final ball eluded them.

Tummery breathed a huge sigh of relief with 15 minute left as Ciaran Brough headed wide with the goal at his mercy.

Tummery’s best chance of the second half came when substitute Gary Lynch gathered the ball on the edge of the 18 yard box and unleashed an effort that was millimetres away from the far upright.