Enniskillen Rangers 1
Tummery Athletic 0
By Tommy Nethery
Enniskillen Rangers were crowned Mercer League champions for the first time in five seasons after edging out nearest rivals Tummery Athletic 1-0 in the final game of the 2023-24 season at The Ball Range this evening.
An unfortunate own goal by Tummery defender Ciaran Beacom was all that separated the top teams at the final whistle.
In clinching the Division One title for the 19th time, Rangers ended Tummery’s dominance of the Fermanagh and Western League in recent seasons.
The Dromore side was aiming to win the title for a fourth consecutive season but on this occasion the Tyrone outfit came up just short.
As for Michael Kerr’s Rangers, it has been quite the climax to the season. Just four days ago the Enniskillen side also captured the prestigious Irish Junior Cup for the fifth time in their history by defeating Cleary Celtic 2-0.
This evening’s league victory – Rangers’ 17th of the season – was the cherry on top of the cake as the Fermanagh men ultimately topped the table with 55points, three ahead of Tummery and four better off than NFC Kesh.
The title decider itself isn’t one that will live long in the memory. With so much at stake, goal scoring opportunities were a real premium in a hard-fought contest in which the teams largely cancelled each other out for long periods.
Rangers’ Mark Cutler had the best chance of the first half but his effort was brilliantly saved by Athletic stopper Niall McCrory.
The decisive goal arrived shortly after the hour mark. A dangerous right-sided cross by Joel Byrne had the Tummery defence scrambling to clear and the ball spun off the leg of Beacom and inside McCrory’s near post.
Mulhern Cup winners Tummery piled forward in search of an equaliser in the dying moments but the nearest they came to taking the title race to a play-off was when a Ryan Hanna effort was blocked by a Rangers’ defender.
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