County Fermanagh put forth a commendable effort but ultimately succumbed to Manchester United with a 4-0 loss in their opening game of the SuperCup NI campaign. Despite the lopsided scoreline, Fermanagh’s defensive grit was evident as they tirelessly battled against an impressive United side, with two injury-time goals amplifying the final tally.
From the outset, the match saw United dominate possession, while Fermanagh remained organized and disciplined, applying constant pressure on their
opponents. Manchester United’s strategy focused on exploiting the pace and skill of their captain, Bendito Mantato, on the right wing. Mantato’s early efforts nearly paid off, as a goal-line clearance from Fermanagh and a deflection by Oisin Keenan staved off the initial threats.
However, United broke the deadlock after just 10 minutes. Abdoulaye received a cross-field pass, deftly maneuvered past a defender, and slotted the ball low into the bottom corner from 12 yards out. Despite United’s possession dominance, Fermanagh’s goalkeeper Patrick O’Sullivan was relatively untested in the first half, thanks to the robust defensive efforts of Oscar Timlin and Shay McCarney.
Fermanagh’s best opportunity in the first half came at the 27-minute mark when Aaron Ellis seemed poised to outpace United’s center-back, only to be thwarted by a brilliant recovery tackle. Moments later, Bruce Lennox gained possession in midfield and found Ben McCaughey, whose cross just eluded Shay McCarney.
The second half began with United pushing centrally, but O’Sullivan was quick off his line to smother the attempt. United continued to pressure, with several long-range efforts either saved or deflected by the resilient Fermanagh defense, notably a perfectly timed tackle by Oisin Keenan.
The pressure culminated in United’s second goal at the 55-minute mark. Mantato, showcasing his skill, collected the ball after an aerial challenge, evaded a tackle, and calmly finished past the goalkeeper. As Fermanagh’s players tired, coach Brendan Downey made several substitutions. Substitute goalkeeper Tadhg Kernaghan made a notable save, but he could not prevent United’s Ibrovic-Fletcher from curling a shot into the top corner from 25 yards in injury time.
With the final kick of the game, Mantato added his second goal, sealing a comprehensive 4-0 victory for Manchester United. Fermanagh now has less than 24 hours to recover before facing American side Intercontinental FA in Broughshane at 6:30 PM this evening.
For the full match report, visit Impartial Reporter.
Be the first to comment