ENNISKILLEN TOWN UTD............3

STRATHROY HARPS...................2

(AET)

BY TOMMY NETHERY

Strathroy Harps surrendered a two-goal lead as opponents Enniskillen Town, inspired by the versatile James McKenna, came back from the dead to snatch a dramatic extra-time victory in front of a sizeable crowd at Ferney Park on Saturday afternoon.

Harps appeared to be on the brink of successfully defending the silverware they had won for an historic first time 12 months ago, after a first half penalty by Gerard McCaskie and volleyed finish by playmaker Paddy Colton just two minutes after the interval.

However, a Town side, gunning for the domestic double, remained fully focused and when Harps centre-back Benny McElholm chopped down the deceptive Mark Connolly in the penalty area, skipper Rory Judge stepped up to breath new life into the Fermanagh side's challenge by converting the spot kick.

Calling on their wealth of experience and depth of character, Town went in search of the equaliser and it duly arrived five minutes from time as McElholm handled Kieran Leonard's goalbound shot, the centre-back's nightmare complete when referee Shane Corrigan produced the red card.

Again Judge beat Harps netminder Conor Taggart from 12 yards to force a riveting and tension-filled encounter into extra-time. 10-man Strathroy were at this point losing a grip on their trophy although a penalty shootout still looked the more likely outcome until McKenna, who had become increasingly influential, produced an astonishing winner.

The centre-back, who had been switched into midfield, cut a dash in from the left flank, weaving past two defenders in the process before displaying supreme composure to pick his spot inside Taggart's far upright.

It was a cruel hammer blow for a valiant Harps but ecstasy for a Town side that had shown tremendous resolve, unwavering desire and belief to pull an unlikely victory out of the fire.

For the Harps players and their massive following it was utter devastation and heartbreak. For an hour they had the four-times Mercer League champions on the rack but from somewhere their opponents conjured up a victory that Enniskillen boss Gerry Love admitted was the sweetest in a highly decorated managerial career.

While savouring the moment, Love knew his side had been in one hell of a fight.

From the word go, a highly-charged Harps were up and at their opponents with wide attacker Aidan McMullin getting a lot of joy on the left flank. As early as the second minute midfield kingpin Paddy Colton laid a McMullin delivery into the path of McCrory, who sizzled a shot inches by Dermot Feely's right-hand post.

Two minutes later McMullin scampered clear himself but as he prepared to pull the trigger Ciaran Beacom produced a magnificent last-ditch tackle.

At the other end, the impressive Kane Connor had a header from a Conor Tummon cross saved by Taggart at the back post before a stretching Leonard headed a Ronan McCabe delivery above the Harps target.

On 16 minutes Strathroy drew first blood when striker McCrory was sent sprawling by a shove in the back from Ciaran Beacom and Gerard McCaskie was coolness personified as he dispatched the kick to Feely's left.

Town were visibly rattled, however slowly but surely they gained a foothold through the efforts of Damien Shannon and the explosive Connor. Midfielder Shannon directed a Connolly cross into the grateful arms of Taggart before Connor, after receiving a Leonard pass, cut back inside to shoot weakly straight at the Harps netminder.

Sandwiched in between, McCrory, running onto a McMullin through ball, escaped the attentions of Judge and McKenna but chipped his shot agonisingly wide of the back post.

By now Town were beginning to turn the screw and it needed a brilliant block by McMullin to deny Shannon a certain equaliser and on the stroke of half-time Cathal Beacom shuddered Taggart's left hand upright with a 30-yard blockbuster.

Moments earlier, opposite number Feely breathed a huge sigh of relief when McCrory, who outwitted McKenna crossed for Colton to shoot over a gapping net from four yards.

Colton made amends for that glaring miss two minutes into the new half. A sweeping move on the right ended with McCrory teeing up the midfield maestro, who placed his side-footed volleyed expertly inside Feely's left post.

Strathroy had one hand on the Fermanagh and Western's premier knockout trophy however before they got too carried away Beacom produced a timely reminder when his deflected shot off Benny McElholm again smacked the frame of the Harps goal.

On 55 minutes Town got their lifeline. A brilliant turn by Connolly hoodwinked McElholm and Judge fired the resultant spot kick low inside Taggart's right hand post.

The pendulum had swung in Town's favour, although a crucial interception by Judge prevented McCrory setting up McCaskie for what would have been a killer third for Harps. A Paul Cox snap shot was then safely gathered by the Town custodian before Judge blocked a Paddy Colton effort, in the wake of a thrilling run and pinpoint cross by substitute Darren Carter.

Thereafter, it was all Town in attack as McKenna moved into midfield to stamp his authority on the game. With 15 minutes remaining a surging run by the utility player almost released Leonard as Taggart made a blinding stop to keep out another 30-yarder from Cathal Beacom.

Harps were now hanging on as their opponents began to crank it up. Shannon headed over when well placed before McElholm instinctively stuck out a hand to block Leonard's goal-bound shot finding the net. Taggart this time guessed right but despite getting a hand to Judge's second penalty he couldn't prevent it ending up in the net.

As extra-time loomed the odds were stacked heavily against the holders. Another rasping hit by Cathal Beacom deflected into the grateful arms of Taggart while Anthony Fitzpatrick, a 53rd minute substitute for the injured Connor, headed a pinpoint Leonard delivery inches over.

A highly-motivated Town, too, called the shots in overtime with McKenna testing Taggart early on and Leonard cutting inside two defenders to blaze over.

Tummon then laid the ball to McKenna, who side stepped two defenders only to be denied by a last-ditch tackle from Paul Cox, an incisive move that brought the first period of extra-time to a conclusion.

Neither side threatened in the early exchanges of the second period as legs and minds began to tire. A penalty shootout was pending unless someone somehow could conjure up something special to decide what had been a pulsating and unpredictable showpiece final.

With barely four minutes remaining the inspired McKenna produced a sensational and worthy winner for Town and delivered the knockout blow that finally extinguished the Harps challenge.

TEAMS

ENNISKILLEN TOWN UNITED:

D Feely; Ci Beacom; C Tummon; R Judge (capt); J McKenna; D Shannon; Ca Beacom; K Connor (A Fitzpatrick 53); R McCabe (B Rogers 80); M Connolly; K Leonard.

Subs not used: N McDonagh; D Keenan.

STRATHROY HARPS:

C Taggart; P McCaskie; D McElholm (capt); B McElholm; A Colton; A McMullin (D Carter 66); P Cox: P Colton; G McCaskie; G McCrory (M Sloan 84); R Swift (McCrossan 63).

Subs not used: A O'Kane; R Kelly.

Referee: S Corrigan

Cautions: B McElholm (37); McCabe (54); G McCaskie (73); Judge (75); Fitzpatrick (90 + 1); Ci Beacom (90 + 13); Rogers (90 + 15).

Dismissals: B McElholm (85)