First blood to Rangers in curtain-raiser

IT’S hard to read much into this result given that both sides were missing key players in the curtain-raiser for the new Fermanagh and Western season.

Tummery Athletic 0 Enniskillen Rgrs 2

Ryan Hanna and Declan McNulty were absent for the champions while Mark Cutler, Richie Johnston Chris Currie, Eoin McManus and player-manager Michael Kerr didn’t feature for the Mulhern Cup winners.

On the night though Rangers ran out deserved winners after a goal in each half from Stuart Rainey and Jordan McClure. Rainey swooped to fire home after 23 minutes and McClure got on the end of a Jason Cluff cross 13 minutes from time to seal the win.

The Enniskillen side, who back in May won the Mulhern Cup for the first time in 23 years, started this season as they ended the last by banking silverware and on the evidence of this performance are likely to be among the contenders for league honours.

Tummery, too, will be in the mix, and it’s fair to assume that there is much more to come from both teams than was immediately evident in Tuesday’s night’s clash, which, despite glorious sunshine, was played out in front of a poor Ferney Park crowd.

In truth moments of genuine quality were in short supply in the opening exchanges. Nathan Khan, one of Rangers’ best performers, smacked Niall McCrory’s crossbar with a 25-yard free kick, but, that apart, there was little of note until Rainey broke the deadlock.

Tummery failed to clear their lines under pressure and when the ball fell inviting into the path of Rainey, the attacker volleyed past McCrory with his left foot.

Shortly afterwards Rainey sparked another Rangers attacker following a good run down the left with McClure laying the ball off to Jason Keenan who sent a rising shot inches over.

At the other end Peden pushed away an Aidy McCaffrey free kick but that effort apart it was their opponents who were looking more threatening in the final third.

Cluff dashed in from the left only to be denied by a good save from McCrory while McClure had a shot blocked by a defender after he swooped on a mistake in the Athletic rearguard.

And in the final seconds of the half Khan had his head in his hands after his curling free kick cannoned off the base of McCrory’s right post.

Rangers also created the first opportunity of the new half but after a free-flowing attack Matthew Chambers cut in from the left to curl the ball wide of the far post.

The Enniskillen side continued to hold the upper hand but shortly after the hour mark the Dromore men could have drawn level had Tommy Mullin kept his back post volley on target instead of blazing over from Pearse McNabb’s right-sided cross.

Moments later Cluff was sent clear on the right and when he whipped over the most inviting of crosses McClure arrived on cue to guide it into the roof of the net at the back post.

Tummery huffed and puff thereafter but they never seriously threatened Rangers’ two-goal advantage and it was the Enniskillen side who held on for what was a relatively comfortable victory.