Fivemiletown Football: 1993/94

Lisbellaw 3-0 Fivemiletown United
Fivemiletown’s opening fixture this season was an away trip a few miles down the road to Lisbellaw. The papers said that the ‘pitch and surprisingly the weather, was just right’
Lisbellaw went on to win this game 3-0 a somewhat flattering result as ‘Fivemiletown did dominate most of the game but in the end came out on the losing side.’ 

Fivemiletown United 3-1 Dergview
The following Wednesday, with the home advantage, Fivemiletown got their first win beating Dergview 3-1

 

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Fivemiletown United 1-0 Enniskillen Rangers.
The match report in the Impartial Reporter;
‘A cracking goal volleyed to the net by Elvis Kerr just before half-time was enough to give Fivemiletown the points on Saturday. Both sides had impressive wins the previous Wednesday and with new look sides, they were eager to impress.
The game was keenly fought, although players were rather hindered by the bumpy nature of Fivemiletown’s new pitch.
Rangers paraded former Fivemiletown players Malone and Cutler, as well as sub, Reynolds, and they attacked for much of the second half in search of the equaliser. But Fivemiletown’s defence, well marshalled by Robbie Benson, held firm.’

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Shelbourne 6-1 Fivemiletown
Fivemiletown seems to be struggling with their away form, crashing to a 6-1 defeat against Shelbourne in mid-week.
Fivemiletown 3-1 Maguiresbridge
But back on home soil at the weekend, brought another win, this time at the hands of Maguiresbridge, their fifth defeat on the trot, 3-1.
The report mentions new signing David McCaskie playing his first full game for the club, also Robbie Benson and Bob Carroll returning from suspension, Ken Kerr opened the scoring for Fivemiletown on five minutes, and it was five minutes before halftime before the next two goals came, Maguiresbridge scoring from the penalty spot to bring them on level terms but that was short lived when Ken Kerr slotted home his second to restore the lead.
Just after the restart, Ken Kerr had a great chance to complete his hat-trick but he blasted his penalty kick over the bar, it was Elvis Kerr who made absolutely sure of the points for Fivemiletown mid-way through the second half.

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No Junior Cup

In September a report in the Impartial Reporter stated that four Fermanagh & Western teams would not be in this year’s Irish Junior Cup, IFA saying they did not submit an application. The four teams being; Dergview, Killymore, Beragh Swifts and Fivemiletown United.
In the case of Fivemiletown United, they did not get an entry form because they changed secretary, and the previous secretary did not forward on the forms.  
It also said the clubs were taking legal advice on the matter.

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North Fermanagh 3-5 Fivemiletown United:
Going into this league game at Mantlin Park, both teams were level on points, and with the home advantage (Fivemiletown’s bad away form) North Fermanagh could have at least hoped for a point from this encounter, but their plans were completely upset by Fivemiletown’s Fermanagh Milk Cup star, Bob Carroll, who operated from mid-field and helped himself to four goals.
It was Malcolm Brown who opened the scoring when he latched onto a bad clearance to rifle home a great goal from 25 yards, only a few minutes later Carroll got his first when he beat the keeper to a cross from Alan McCutcheon to head home.
It was on the half hour when a long throw from Ken Kerr again gave Carroll the chance to beat the keeper to head in number two, North Fermanagh managed to pull one back before the break when Dan Davidson lobbed the Fivemiletown Keeper Milton Clarke from 30 yards.
Into the second half and any hope of Maguiresbridge getting back into this game was knocked on the head in the 47^th minute when a harmless looking long-range shot from Carroll somehow eluded the ‘Bridge’ keeper to end up in the back of the net, six minutes later Carroll completed his tally as he again was left unmarked.

Fivemiletown United 6-3 Irvinestown Wanderers:
It was Irvinestown who got onto the score sheet first from the penalty spot but two goals from Ken Kerr soon put Fivemiletown in the lead, that’s how it stayed until the second half when 10 minutes into the restart Irvinestown equalised and scored again on the 79^th minute putting Irvinestown in the driving seat but Fivemiletown made a spirited recovery with late goals from Derek Brown, Rodney Smith and two from substitute Elvis Kerr to give the home side victory.

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Fivemiletown United 4-1 Enniskillen Town,
‘Although the scoreline may somewhat flatter this Fivemiletown performance there is little doubt that they fully deserved to win this interesting encounter with Enniskillen Town at the Valley Parade.’ Impartial Reporter.
 

It was Enniskillen that started the brighter with the Fivemiletown keeper Milton Clarke being called into action, pulling off a couple of vital saves. But on 27 minutes Fivemiletown took the lead when a free kick floated over from the left and Bob Carroll was left unmarked at the back post and his diving header to the back of the net. Two minutes into the second half Fivemiletown increased their lead when Rodney Smith lobbed in a well-taken goal.
Fivemiletown went further ahead from a hotly disputed penalty, Referee ‘Cyril Walker’ judged that Carroll had been pushed and Elvis Kerr slotted the ball home, and it was Ken Kerr who scored the last one for Fivemiletown with a great individual goal, Enniskillen gave away possession in mid-field and Kerr ran through beating two defenders and struck a great shot past the visiting keeper. 

 

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Beragh Swifts 1-3 Fivemiletown United
At the end of October Fivemiletown travelled to Beragh and with this victory, extended their run of six league wins on the trot to take the top spot in division one.
In a tight game, Beragh defended well and Fivemiletown had to work hard to clinch this victory.
Teenager Alan McCutcheon put Fivemiletown ahead with a well-taken goal in the 35^th minute, but Beragh quickly equalised. For most of the second half, it was ‘a dour battle’ and it wasn’t until the 80^th minute that Fivemiletown finally broke through the Beragh rear-guard. Following a throw-in, David McCaskie pushed forward to place his header past the keeper. Two minutes from the end Kerr made victory absolute when he scored Fivemiletown’s third with a good half volley.

Fivemiletown United 5-1 Killymore Rovers.
‘This game was played at the King Georges’ playing fields and although an Elvis Kerr hat-trick ensured a win for the home side they had to fight very hard.’ Impartial Reporter
And it was Elvis Kerr who opened the scoring on five minutes, the Fivemiletown keeper Milton Clark did well to save the visitors quickly equalising when he pushed a shot around the post. Mid-way through the first half Elvis Kerr took advantage of a defensive mix-up to blast the ball to the back of the net for his second. Killymore opened strongly after the break and pulled one back in the 55^th minute; they continued to press hard for the equaliser but were unable to penetrate the home defence. Gradually Fivemiletown got back into the game and when Rodney Smith hit the best goal of the game to make it 3-1 the result was never in doubt, Smith controlled a Ken Kerr cross, turned and sent a superb shot into the top corner. Shortly afterwards Elvis Kerr completed his hat-trick and with two minutes remaining a cross from Bob Carroll put Rodney Smith in to complete the scoring.

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Fivemiletown United 4-3 Lisbellaw United.
This game got off to a dramatic start when after only two minutes the Fivemiletown keeper Milton Clark up-ended the Lisbellaw striker and Referee ‘Alan Nesbitt’ pointed to the spot and Lisbellaw took an early lead. Ten minutes later with Lisbellaw pushing forward Derek Brown counter-attacked for Fivemiletown and a great run from mid-field got him into slot the ball past the Lisbellaw keeper for the equaliser. Just before the break, Lisbellaw regained the lead when Clark slipped and gifted a tap in. On the restart, Fivemiletown came out on the offensive and dominated for most of the second half making full use of long throw-ins and Bob Carroll’s height which was to prove the vital match-winning ploy.
On 50 minutes a throw-in from Elvis Kerr found Carroll on the six-yard box and he flicked in the equaliser, but within ten minutes Clark could only block a shot and Lisbellaw were quickest to react and regained the lead. Fivemiletown came back again, in the 69^th minute following a hectic goalmouth melee; Bob Carroll slammed the ball into the roof of the net.
Then with the seconds ticking away, Brown sent in a free kick from the edge of the penalty area, and there was that man, Carroll, to send a glancing header into the net to complete his hat-trick and put Fivemiletown in front for the first time in the game as the final whistle blew.

Dergview 2-2 Fivemiletown
The first point dropped in ten games.
Fivemiletown opened the scoring in this game, Elvis Kerr from the penalty spot after a Dergview defender’s handball, but Dergview quickly equalised.
Elvis Kerr again scored lobbing the Dergview keeper mid-way through the second half, but the points were shared just before time when Dergview beat Milton Clarke.

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The Impartial Reporter had the headlines;
Not one game will be played in December
‘With the terrible weather conditions persisting all week,  for the third Saturday in a row all Fermanagh & Western League games were postponed and with no fixtures scheduled for this Saturday, Christmas Day, it means in effect that not one league game will be played in December!’

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Fivemiletown lead at the break.

‘Fivemiletown United sit proudly on top of the Fermanagh & Western division one at the festive break.
The side that finished in the fourth position last season is halfway through its league campaign this year and look to be going better than ever.