OMAGH UNITED......................................................4
ENNISKILLEN RANGERS .......................................1
THIS TIE at Athletic Park was won in the opening 10 minutes and given a final sheen in the closing 10. Much of what went on in between was bossed by Rangers for whom the record books will be a rank travesty.
United hit the front in six minutes, Eunan Devine's thunderous but speculative 35-yard drive deceiving Gavin Connolly.The stand-in keeper attempted to fist the ball clear but only succeeded in helping into his net when it seemed easier to beat it down and gather it.
Four minutes later it was two, a glorious three-touch move involving Paul McCabe and Conor McCullagh who supplied the low right-sided cross was finished by Gerard McPeake gleefully crashing in from six yards.
And it was a piece of sheer McPeake magic with four minutes of normal time remaining that helped make the game safe. The striker delightfully controlled Devine's free kick on his chest and teed up a simple tap-in for substitute, Peter Oguz. Deep into stoppage time brother, John headed in Joe McMahon's free kick to give the scoreline an undeniable lop-sided look.
It had been a game of two halves with a difference – the first always entertaining, Rangers chasing the tie and getting back in the frame on 24 minutes courtesy of unmarked playmaker, Jamie Murphy tucking Roly Williamson's low cross past an exposed Dermot McKeogh, and the second a dire advertisement for all that is wrong with Fermanagh and Western football.
Timoney on target
DUNBREEN ROVERS ............................................1
TULLYALLY COLTS ..............................................0
TOMMY Timoney capped a five-star man-of-the-match show with the only goal of the game midway through the first-half at Omagh's New Showgrounds, but this tie was a story of missed opportunities at one end and very little going on at the other.
Rovers might have romped into a two-goal lead in the opening eight minutes, skipper, Patrick Nugent firing over from under the bar as Colm Spracklen's low centre took out the defence, and hitman, Aaron McEnhill, racing clear onto Ryan Sheridan's through ball, jinking past keeper, Jonathan Mitchell, but striking his parting shot so weakly that Jonathan Watson got back to clear.
Spracklen's right-sided corner to the near post was converted by the marauding Timoney, who shot through a crowded area and behind Mitchell. It was a goal that might have been cancelled by striker, Kenneth Richmond, whose left-foot shot forced a stunning stop from the otherwise unemployed Niall McLaren with Timoney completing the clearance.
Tullyally started brightest in the new half, but had only long-range efforts from Andrew Cooke and David Hyndman, which failed to trouble McLaren, to show for it.
Rovers regained their earlier dominance around the hour, although unsettled at the back by McKeegan switching bustling Damien Olphert from central defence to centre forward.
McEnhill half-volleyed over, Spracklen screwed a shot past Mitchell's right-hand upright and Ryan Sharkey and Paul Kelly both went close before two minutes from time, Paul McGlade just could not contain himself and insisted on adding the final touch to Sharkey's goal-bound strike when palpably offside and the keeper stranded.
Moments later the central midfielder might have atoned, but Mitchell produced an athletic stop to thwart him.
Clabby come good
RIVERDALE..............................................................1
CLABBY STROLLERS................................................2
DESPITE their dismal league form, Clabby Strollers booked their place in the second round at the expense of a useful Mid Ulster first division side at Benburb.
The Fermanagh and Western outfit bossed the opening exchanges but fell behind after 20 minutes when a low shot beat third choice goalkeeper Colin Stronge.
Riverdale went on to boss the remainder of the half and almost grabbed a second before the visitors turned the tie on its head.
Five minutes before the half-time interval midfielder Malcolm Brown met a Davy Little left wing cross to power home the equalising goal with a header back across the goalkeeper.
And on the stroke of half-time Little again supplied the ammunition for Bob Carroll to head home the winner.
For the most part, Strollers dominated the second period with striker Ricky Carroll squandering a number of excellent opportunities while old brother Bob missed from the spot.
McCann settles the issue
HOLY WELL.............................................................0
TUMMERY ATHLETIC..............................................1
A BARRY McCann strike against the run of play in the first half ensured Tummery threw their name in the hat for the second round draw following this hard fought victory against a well-drilled Ballymena Morning League side.
The Antrim based outfit made the early running and although they ruled the roost in terms of possession, anything that was heading in the direction of the visiting target was competently dealt with by goalkeeper Denis McKenna.
At the other end a lethargic Dromore outfit rarely threatened until McCann swooped with the decisive goal. The midfielder cut in from the left after receiving the ball from the excellent Winser and speared his shot across the goalkeeper and inside the far post.
From that point on, Athletic grew in confidence with Donal Teague excelling at centre-half while Tiernan Campbell stamped his authority in midfield.
However, it was only in the final minutes that Tummery thought they had put the result beyond the reach of their opponents when substitute Fintan McCarney pounced to steer the ball home. Unfortunately, for the visitors, the referee ruled McCarney's effort out adjudging that Stephen McCullagh had been guilty of an infringement in the build-up. In the end it mattered not.
