'Everything is in our hands' says Hanna as Tummery keep up title chase

Castlederg United 1 Tummery Athletic 6

Tummery continued their pursuit of a fourth consecutive Mercer League title with a comprehensive 6-1 victory over bottom club Castlederg United at Mitchell Park.

Manager Ryan Hanna had already stated that each of their three remaining games were "must win" matches, and they never looked in danger of losing the first of those three as they romped into a four goal lead inside half an hour.

Aidy McCaffrey scored after eight minutes to put them in front, with Gary McGuigan, Gerard Duddy and Malachy McLaughlin quickly extending their lead. Harry Mills pulled a goal back before half time, but the result was never in doubt with Martin Hughes and Paul McHugh adding to the scoreline in the second half.

Hanna felt his team’s performance was one of their best showings of recent weeks.

“It can be difficult when the other team is already relegated and has nothing to play for, but I thought in the first half we were excellent,” he said.

“Our tempo on the ball was good, and I thought we were very incisive and out of possession we were hungry and aggressive. It was as good a half as we have played in a while. In the second half we dropped off a wee bit, but we scored two more and kept a clean sheet. All in all, it was a really good performance and a really good result to go with it.”

The victory takes Tummery to within three points of Enniskillen Rangers and two points of Kesh, with Tummery set to face both sides in a dramatic conclusion to the season.

They will have Ciaran Beacom available again after suspension for Saturday’s clash with Kesh, and although Blain Campbell is an injury doubt, Hanna believes his side are in good shape for the season’s climax.

“Everything is in our hands,” he said. “I said to the lads that if someone had offered you this opportunity in August before the season started you would have bitten their arm off.

"We are taking it one game at a time and we are putting everything into getting ready for Saturday. Getting our minds right, getting our bodies right, and we will attack it with everything we have and hopefully, we will go into the last game of the season with something to play for. We are looking forward to it.”

Tuesday night’s game was a rescheduled match following the abandonment of the original fixture. Relegated Castlederg had taken a surprise early lead in that game before the referee called an early halt to proceedings, but there was no repeat of that surprise scoreline this time around.

It took Tummery just eight minutes to take the lead when Aidy McCaffrey’s strike from 25 yards found the top corner of the net, and four minutes later Gary McGuigan poked in the second from Martin Hughes’ low cross.

Duddy made it three, before McLaughlin got on the end of Gary Duffy’s through ball and fired past the keeper to put Tummery four ahead. Mills pulled a goal back for Castlederg just before half time but a Hughes back post header midway through the second half restored their four goal cushion, and Paul McHugh volleyed in Duddy’s cross to seal the victory.