Super sub Sloan seals win for Harps
STRATHROY HARPS ........................3
ENNISKILLEN SANTOS ....................1
A HARPS side showing eight changes from the 3-0 midweek defeat at Lisbellaw United needed some Mark Sloan magic to overcome promoted Santos at a wet Strathroy Road in a game boasting nothing for the purist.
Sloan came off the bench just after the hour when Santos had hit back to cancel out Pat Northern's opener and stamped his authority all over game with two superb goals.
Northern, on his debut, had shot the home side in front midway through the first period as skipper, Paddy Colton sent the former Dunbreen Rovers man through to jink past Gary Ramsey and sweep the ball into an empty net.
The young Santos outfit responded in the run-up to the interval with a marauding Christopher Hannan whipping over a left-sided cross which striker, Shane Boyd flicked against an upright, the ball rebounding into stand-in keeper, Tommy McNamee's grateful arms.
And the visiting response was complete on the hour thanks to substitute, Gary Baxter's quality 20-yard strike as Boyd headed the ball into his path from the raiding Nicky Dunbar's cross from the left.
Then Sloan, replacing Gerard McCaskie as Cathal Gavin rang the changes and also introduced Aaron McEnhill for Shane Devennney, took a hand.
He was beautifully placed on the edge of the goal area 15 minutes from time to regain the lead at the end of a flowing move that concluded with McEnhill and Northern working the ball into him from the right for a simple tap-in.
And six minutes later Sloan picked up the ball near halfway, ghosted past three players, sidestepped Ramsey and rolled in number three.
Two out of two for Athletic
CLABBY STROLLERS...................................................2
TUMMERY ATHLETIC..................................................3
A LATE strike by Stephen McMahon earned traditionally slow starters Tummery Athletic their second victory in a week although the Dromore outfit had to pull out all the stops before emerging victorious at the King George V Playing Fields.
Strollers, buoyed by their midweek success against Enniskillen Santos, made the early running although it was a handling error by visiting goalkeeper Dermot McNamee that allowed Keith McVitty to open the scoring.
That stung the visitors into action and midway through the first half Declan Molloy pounced to head home a pinpoint Tiernan Campbell cross to draw the sides level.
Tummery had seized the initiative and when the home rearguard was caught square by a long searching pass over the top striker Barry McCann surged clear to rifle the ball low beyond Mervyn Funston's left hand.
On the resumption of the second half a physically superior Clabby upped the ante and their efforts earned just reward 15 minutes from time when a sublime cross by Davy Little was headed home by McVitty.
The outcome was now firmly in the melting pot and moments before McMahon swooped with the winner, the homesters had strong claims for a penalty waved away by the referee after Little was sent sprawling in the area.
Having got the rub of the green, Tummery snatched victory with just four minutes remaining on the clock.
Colm McNabb's initial shot, following excellent approach play, was brilliantly saved by Funston but the netminder could do nothing to prevent McMahon squeezing home the winner from an acute angle.
McGrath injury blow for Lisbellaw United
LISBELLAW UNITED................................................4
ARDSTARW RESERVES............................................1
IT was a mixed weekend for Lisbellaw United who strolled to victory against a young Ardstraw Reserves side at Drumard on Saturday.
On Sunday evening their outstanding performer over the past 12 months, Paul McGrath sustained a broken collar bone during a GAA match and is likely to be out of action for some time as United bid to win their first Mercer title in 27 years.
Saturday's victory was pretty straightforward with Sean McNulty heading in a Gareth McBrien cross to open the scoring before McGrath cracked home an absolute peach from all of 25 yards.
Centre-half McNulty then succeeded in turning into his own net to give the visitors a glimmer of hope but in the second period United stamped their authority on the game with Matthew McFrederick hitting a left-footed screamer to make it 3-1.
In the closing minutes strike partners Alan Veitch and Keith McGowan combined for the latter to seal the points.
