F&W DIVISION THREE
Drumquin United 4 Enniskillen Galaxy 1
By Patrick McKiernan
DRUMQUIN United put Enniskillen Galaxy to the sword with a blistering first-half display in rainy conditions on Saturday afternoon.
The win sees the village side from Tyrone top the early-season table, while Galaxy sit in eighth, still without a point and only above bottom place on goal difference.
Adding to their concerns, Lisnarick have two games in hand.
Given the weather, both teams struggled to find any rhythm in the first thirty minutes, with the game stop-start, though Drumquin were noticeably sharper on the ball.
Something clicked for the home team on the half hour, and their play gained an added sharpness that Galaxy could not cope with.
Bailey White, making his debut for Drumquin, latched onto the ball on the wing and fed through Dylan Deery, who edged past his defender and shot home for the lead.
Galaxy, defending for their lives under relentless Drumquin pressure, could not hold out, and the home side grabbed their second when an Eoin Skelton cross from the right wing was only half cleared, allowing Adam McElhill an easy finish.
Right on the stroke of half-time, Jordan Dennison was given far too much time on the ball and effectively sealed the game with Drumquin’s third goal.
The second half was a more muted affair as the weather worsened, making the game nearly impossible to play on the ground.
Galaxy improved on their first-half display and were rewarded when substitute Niall Cullen found enough space to slot the ball past Drumquin goalkeeper Adam Pollock.
Any thoughts of a Galaxy comeback were snuffed out within ninety seconds when a cross intended for Eoin Skelton sailed over his head but fell to Luke Reid.
Reid controlled the ball, twisted his defender inside out, and curled a beautiful shot into the far post.
After the sucker punch of conceding so quickly, just as they had gained a marginal foothold in the game, Galaxy did well to stem the flow of Drumquin’s attacks, and the match ended 4-1.
Both teams next play in the Irish Junior Cup first round. Drumquin travel to Kells to play Connor FC, whilst Galaxy will face All Saints OB in Ballymena, both games are due to be played on 13th of September.