Lisnaskea Rovers 1
Maguiresbridge 0
A first half goal from Corey McAree was enough to decide the Mulhern Cup derby tie at Castle Park Centre on Saturday.
It was a game of few chances and Maguiresbridge will rue a second half penalty miss but in truth, they didn’t create enough on the day to trouble Lisnaskea ‘keeper Michael McGrath.
The pattern was set in the first half with Rovers trying to get the ball to strikers Brian McDermott and Johnny O’Reilly at the earliest opportunity.
Chances were hard to come by at both ends with Maguiresbridge struggling to get a foothold in the first half.
The deadlock was broken seven minutes before the break as O’Reilly’s shot wasn’t held by goalkeeper Damien McManus and the ball rolled to McAree on the left wing who produced a brilliant finish with the outside of his boot over the head of the Bridge keeper.
The second half saw the Bridge enjoy more of the ball but it was honours even for the most part.
Skea winger Eimhin Curran broke down the left wing and crashed a shot off the post before he was denied by a brave McManus save from the same location soon after.
Rovers’ playmaker Eimhin Curran crosses the ball into the box
Maguriesbridge were pressing themselves but struggled to create anything clear cut, McGrath gathering at the feet of Shane Ingram after a great throughball from Shane O’Neill with their best chance.
They were then handed a glorious opportunity as Ingram was brought down in the box by Gaby Jones but McGrath guessed right and saved Ryan Moran’s penalty kick with Ciaron Campbell’s rebound blocked near the goal line.
Rovers came close to a second goal late on but O’Reilly was off target with a header when unmarked from a corner.
Bridge sub Joey Warren’s late cross-come shot did flick the post and that was as close as they came to an equaliser as ‘Skea held on to book a date with Enniskillen Town in round two.
“You have to be happy enough any day you get through a derby game,” said Rovers boss Shane O’Donnell.
“It was a tight enough game, pretty scrappy at times but Corey took his goal really well.
“I have to give credit to the back four and keeper, I couldn’t fault them all day.
“Town will be a different game for sure, we will have to set up differently for that one.”
‘Bridge boss Simon McCusker reflected: “We did miss a penalty but we can’t complain as we didn’t play well or create enough on the day.
“But the league is the priority for us and we have much bigger games to come now in the next few weeks so we have to learn the lessons and be at our best for those.”
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