Budget Energy SuperCupNI – Premier Section: Group B
County Fermanagh 0 AFC Bournemouth 3
DEFEAT, but not disappointment for the Fermanagh Premiers, who opened their Budget Energy SuperCupNI 2025 campaign with a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Premier League academy outfit AFC Bournemouth at a sun-drenched Warren in Portstewart on Monday. ‘
The Cherries’ got off to the best possible start, Jay Austin-Burrows heading home from a set-piece inside two minutes. Fermanagh regrouped and grew back into the tie, with Oisin Morris almost equalising before the break.
Fermanagh were to be frustrated by another set-piece delivery six minutes into the second half, Alfie Thomas applying the finishing touch, before Ben Rukiza netted from close range with two minutes remaining to give Bournemouth an opening day win.
Akin to the Junior match earlier in the day, a minutes silence was held before kick-off in memory of former Fermanagh player Michael Kerr, who passed away suddenly earlier this year. With the match just two minutes old, the Dorset side had the ball in the net. Austin-Burrows rose highest to head beyond Adam Magee from close range.
Fermanagh refused to let this early setback deter them and produced a positive response. Alfie Jones got underneath a Morris cross from the right, before the impressive Jay Largo Elis set up Jones, only for his shot in the box to be blocked by a Bournemouth defender.
Adrian Oluwande flashed an effort over the bar from close range following a Levi Tindall free-kick. Tindall, son of Newcastle United assistant manager Jason Tindall, then curled another dead ball over the bar and Thomas headed into the hands of Magee, as Bournemouth looked to double their advantage.
The Cherries dominated possession, but were unable to seriously test the Fermanagh backline, who held firm. At the other end, Ollie Taylor was a constant threat in behind the Bournemouth backline during the opening half. The Lisbellaw man’s best opportunity came from another Morris delivery on the right, with Taylor controlling the ball in the box but just couldn’t get a shot away.
Fermanagh’s best opportunity to equalise came just before the break. Largo Elis’ tireless running down the right won a corner kick, which Alfie Jones swung in towards Morris at the back post, who was unable to direct the ball into the net.
Bournemouth started the second half strongly, with Calum Hall helping set up his side’s second goal of the day. Hall received the ball from a long kick, drove towards the Fermanagh byline before seeing his right foot shot flash across goal. The referee signalled for a corner, despite some protestations.
To compound Fermanagh misery, Bournemouth added their second from the resulting set-piece. A short corner was played to Tindall, who crossed in towards Alfie Thomas the back post, with the defender directing his header into the top corner to double the Cherries advantage.
Rukiza forced Magee into a low save and Oluwande flashed an effort wide as Bournemouth pushed to settle the tie. For Fermanagh, captain Oscar Timlin’s looping header was held by the Bournemouth net-minder, before the Ernemen had their best opportunity to halve the deficit.
Joshua Humes, a second half substitute, made an almost immediate impact. In the attacking third, Humes played a ball out to Largo Elis on the left side, who cut in before seeing his effort go agonisingly wide across goal.
That was the closest Fermanagh came to getting back into the tie, with Bournemouth adding a third with three minutes left to play, adding gloss to the scoreline. Good work by substitute Divine Madueke on the right side saw him play a low teasing ball into the path of Rukiza, who fired home from close range.
Fermanagh: Adam Magee, Oisin Morris, Timothy Armstrong, Oscar Timlin ©, John Ritchie, Jay Largo Elis, Nicky Milligan, Alfie Jones, Adam Magee, Ollie Taylor, Raphael McCoy, Jack Woods. Substitutes: Tadhg Kernaghan, Cillian Toner, Joshua Humes, Kacper Ferens, Cathaír Maguire, Charlie McCabe, Duane Kerrigan
AFC Bournemouth: Zach Melin, Calum Hall, Aidan Guanchez, Alfie Thomas, Jay Austin-Burrows, Max Collins, Adrian Oluwande, Levi Tindall, Kevin Arthur, Harley Simpson, Harry Purches. Substitutes: Rafferty Vavasour, Armel Gbajumo, Ben Rukiza, Lewis Smart, Divine Madueke