Sunday 07 Jan 2024

fonaCAB Junior Cup | Fourth Round recap

Just 16 clubs remain in the fonaCAB Craig Stanfield Junior Cup following Saturday's fourth round ties.

The designated 'Tie of the Round' pitted North West Junior League leaders Ardmore with Enniskillen Town United, currently second in Fermanagh & Western Division One, at McCourt's Field.

A closely fought affair throughout, the game remained scoreless until the 74th minute when Jack Coyle fired Ardmore in front from the spot.

It was a lead they held until four minutes from time after Darren Freeman levelled with a perfectly executed finish into the top corner after a free-kick had come back off the wall.

Town struck again with what proved to be the winner early into the second period of extra time courtesy of a Conall Quinn penalty.

Indeed it proved to be a very successful day for the Fermanagh & Western League with a total of seven sides making it through.

Among them were cup holders Dergview Reserves who continued their defence of the trophy with a 3-2 away win over Ballyoran.

Dylan Aiken fired Dergview in front in the latter stages of the first half with Alaaeddine Dhouioui doubling up just after the hour. Ryan Smith pulled one back for the Portadown-based home side with a quarter-of-an-hour remaining but Sam Sproule effectively killed the game off with Dergview's third just four minutes later.

Tummery Athletic, currently top of F&W Division One, have a Gary McGuigan hat-trick to thank for their 4-2 win away to Killymoon Rangers.

Gerard Duddy had handed Tummery the early lead but McGuigan found the net three times in 19 minutes at the start of the second half to put the game beyond doubt despite a late Killymoon rally.

Enniskillen Rangers' Mark Cutler went one better, however, with a four-goal haul as they hit six without reply past All Saints Old Boys at The Ball Range.

Cutler knocked home his first after five minutes, doubled up on 37, claimed his hat-trick moments after the interval and completed his afternoon's work not long after that before team-mates Joel Byrne and Jake Browne also got their names on the scoresheet.

By contrast Lisbellaw United clocked up five different scorers in their away day 5-1 defeat of Dungiven.

Craig Johnston kicked it all off as early as the fourth minute, with Scott Johnston adding a second on 36 minutes. Darach McGonigle pulled one back for the home side soon after but goals from Philip Beacom and Paul McGrath just after the hour coupled with a Scott Moutray stoppage time strike rounded off an emphatic win for the visitors.

And NFC Kesh also won 5-1 on the road with first half goals from Ryan Campbell, Nathan Cashel [two] and Daniel Wilson giving them a comfortable advantage over Donemana, with Josh Flack completing the scoring late in the game.

Irvinestown Wanderers also made it through, defeating Armagh Celtic 4-3 at Holm Park thanks to goals from Gary Maguire and Daniel Hughes either side of a brace for Craig Humes. 

The Ballymena Saturday Morning League have two representatives still left in contention.

Clough Rangers made it through with a narrow defeat of St Oliver Plunkett II in Lenadoon thanks to Christopher Montgomery's extra-time winner, and Raceview hit four past Portrush in Broughshane - the goals coming from Matthew Logan, Benjamin Dallas, Ben O'Neill and Matthew Boyd.

NAFL Division 2A side Castlewellan Town were top scorers on the day, notching seven against Greencastle Rovers.

Ruairi Croskery and Karol Jarosinski led the way with two apiece alongside finishes from Ryan McCullagh and Adam Garland in addition to an own goal from the visitors.

Coalisland Athletic, winners in 2022, also made it through at the expense of Sion Swifts, and Downpatrick defeated St Teresa's 5-4 in a high-scoring game on the Dunleath Playing Fields.

Completing the fifth round line-up are Comber Rec II, Lincoln Courts, Cleary Celtic and Hill Street.