Downtown Cup Group A
Erne Wanderers 3 Glenea United Reserves 4
Erne Wanderers were in action on Friday night under lights once again this week when they entertained Glenea United at the Lakeside Centre. In perfect conditions the two teams played out an entertaining game with goals galore on show. The home team started the game well and looked to take the game to the away side but found Glenea were very well organised and extremely hard working so chances were hard to come by in the opening exchanges. The breakthrough came in the 20th minute when Spratt received the ball on the corner of the penalty box and when he sucked in the defender, skipped past him and he was taken down for a penalty which Barry Mulligan duly dispatched. The home team created a few half chances after this but couldn’t add to the score sheet. Glenea were always a threat especially from set pieces and they got an equaliser on 43 minutes. Within a minute of conceding Erne won a free on the right and Mulligan fired in a dangerous cross, McGee got his head to it but the keeper got a hand to it but it fell to Sticky Ward who smashed it into the roof of the net to send Wanderers in ahead at the break. The home team started the second half sluggish and paid the price when Glenea worked the ball down the left and crossed for the centre forward who hit it low under O’ Brien. This setback seemed to wake up the home team and they put some pressure on the away side and on the hour mark they went 3-2 up. Spratt won a free on the right and again Mulligan put in a great cross and this time veteran Dermott Slevin got his head to it for a fine finish. At this stage Erne were turning the screw and really should have put United out of sight with 3 or 4 great chances not taken and Mulligan hitting the bar with another fine free kick. These misses were to prove very costly as firstly on 82minutes they conceded from a sloppy mistake to make 3-3 and then on 90 minutes they conceded a sloppy free on the left and from the resulting kick they failed to clear their lines and a Glenea leg got a touch to roll the ball into bottom corner for the win. A disappointing result for the home team who were well below what they are capable of but a very impressive performance from the away side. Referee: Andrew Mullin
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