Mercer League title race goes down to the wire this weekend

THE destination of the 2021-22 Mercer League Cup goes down to the wire this weekend with defending champions Tummery Athletic and Dergview Reserves still in with a shout of capturing the Fermanagh and Western League Division One title.

A few weeks ago the Darragh Park second string looked out of it following defeat to Omagh Hospitals and a draw at home to Enniskillen Rangers.

Since that Collie Robinson’s team have bounced back with victories against Irvinestown Wanderers and Strathroy Harps while Athletic have taken just one point from a possible nine following defeats to the two Rangers, Killen and Enniskillen, and a scoreless draw at Kesh on Saturday.

That roller-coaster sequence of results means that just one point separates the league leaders and Dergview Reserves going into the final 90 minutes of the season.

That could mean a few more twists and turns and drama to the bitter end. Who knows we might even get an “Aguero moment” as the top two bid to get their hands on the most prized silverware in local football.

Despite their recent travails, Tummery still remain in the driving seat and that’s a position that manager Ryan Hanna takes some comfort from.

“Big time, we have had a serious tight run in,” he said.

“We have played some of the top teams in the league in the last five or six games. We had a number of away games in a row and we knew it wasn’t going to be easy.

“We got ourselves into a great position up to that but we knew the making or breaking of the season would be the last few games.

“We can’t ask for any more than have it in our hands. We have put ourselves in that position. It’s been difficult, it’s been tough but we’re looking forward to the last 90 minutes to sum the whole season up.

“This is why we play and now we have to go and do it. To be in the mix in the last game of the season – you can’t really ask for much more.”

Both teams have won 19 of their 25 games this season and that’s impressive going by anyone’s standards. Tummery have lost three and drawn three while their challengers have drawn two and lost four of the other six games.

Derg boss Collie Robinson praised his players for responding to their blip of a few weeks back and putting themselves back in the frame to potentially win the league should the Dromore men stumble at the final hurdle.

“Six weeks ago we were out of it,” admitted Robinson.

“Tummery have offered us a chance on the final day following defeats to Killen, Rangers and the draw against Kesh on Saturday.

“I suppose the pressure is on Tummery and I thought that was evident against Kesh on Saturday. It was a scrappy game and neither team deserved to win it.

“That said it’s in Tummery’s hands and I don’t really see them slipping up. Whether they do or not, we have to make sure and keep our side of the bargain by beating Magheraveely – and that won’t be easy. They are looking points to stay up.

“First and foremost we have to go and win the game and see what happens. Whichever team wins it, will deserve it. Given we have come this far, of course, we want to win it but whatever happens we can reflect on a great season. At the start of the season we were one of the teams being tipped for relegation and no one would have predicted we would be in this position.

“This team didn’t train all together very often as some of the players were training with the first team. But come a Saturday we pulled together, youth and experience, and produced some great results.”