ENNISKILLEN Town kept the pressure on at the top with an authoritative 3–0 win over Dergview Reserves at St Michael’s Pavilion on Saturday, with Ryan Hanna, Dan O’Connor and Brendan Lilley all on target.
Hanna set Town on their way midway through the first half with a caressed strike from the edge of the box, before O’Connor doubled the advantage after the break with a composed finish from a tight angle. Lilley wrapped things up late on, dinking home after a flowing move as Town’s control was ultimately reflected in the scoreline.
The result leaves Town second in the table, three points behind leaders NFC Kesh — who also won at Magheraveely.
With young O’Connor handed a starting role and new signing Ben Smith named among the substitutes, Town settled the quicker, looking dangerous trying to exploit Dergview’s high defensive line with balls in behind.
Their first opening came when Lilley released Darren Freeman, whose cut-back found Conall Quinn on the edge of the box, the midfielder lifting his effort over. Jake Smith then intercepted high up the pitch and combined with Quinn before O’Connor’s tight-angle effort was gathered by the visiting ‘keeper.
Town were briefly careless in possession at the other end, a deflection off Michael Simpson carrying the ball off the edge of the post and wide.
And a battle developed between Simpson and Dergview’s Aaron Ellis, with Ben Thompson alert off his line to smother when the striker briefly got the wrong side.
But then the breakthrough arrived on 21 minutes. Town worked the ball smartly down the left, Wallace drifting inside before teeing up Hanna, who shifted onto his right foot and guided a precise finish in off the post.
Dergview almost responded immediately when a corner dropped to Dale Maxwell at the back post, but he couldn’t get enough on the header.
The visitors also missed a golden chance to level early in the second half when a low cut-back found Warner Ballantyne six yards out, but he blazed over with the goal gaping.
Town responded well. Quinn slipped O’Connor through only for the ‘keeper to spread himself, then Jake Smith headed over from a corner. Wallace later sent Freeman through at an angle, but the referee waved away strong appeals for a penalty as the striker went down under pressure.
Nevertheless, Town’s second arrived just after the hour. McManus slipped O’Connor in down the left, and the young winger showed composure beyond his years, jinking inside before guiding a low finish into the far corner from a tight angle for his deserved goal.
From there it was largely one-way traffic. Cathal Beacom was denied by a good save, Ben Smith tested the ‘keeper from range, though Thompson had to preserve the two-goal cushion with a flying save to deny Ellis.
The third came late on and was worth the wait. Lilley’s throw-in sparked the move, with Nic Collen and Hanna combining before Hanna delicately scooped a pass into Lilley’s path, and the left back dinked a classy finish past the advancing ‘keeper for the icing on the cake.
