With less than 179 days until Mancunian indy rockers The Stone Roses make their long awaited Irish return in Dublin's Phoenix Park, Town progressed to the last sixteen of the Irish Junior Cup Round after a hard fought Round 4 victory over bitter rivals Tummery Athletic at an unmercifully cold Crawford's Lane on Saturday last.

Boss Rory Judge was forced to field without the two influential C. Beacoms - Ciaran suspended and Cathal ineligible for this particular tournament. (Unlike another prominent Fermanagh and Western club who recently felt compelled to use the local media as a vehicle to express their "pain" at not being allowed to cheat in this year's tournament, Enniskillen Town United take the apparently old-fashioned and somewhat dull stance of actually playing by the rules!) Judge's pre-match plans were thrown into further disarray with Neil Love, Conor Smith, Darren McQuade and Conor Tummon all arriving late for a variety of reasons.

Undeterred, Town started in positive fashion and took the game to their opponents. Frank Wallace should have done better when heading over an early Gary Beckett delivery while Tummery keeper Peter Ward was then forced into an outstanding save from a long range Paul Crane piledriver. The rebound fell to Mark Beckett who fired over when well placed.Town continued to dominate proceedings and should have opened the scoring on eighteen minutes. Mark Beckett floated a delightful ball across the six yard area but Gary Beckett inexplicably failed to attack it, with only the slightest touch required to beat Ward. Club legend, Paddy McGarrity, would be turning in his grave (if he was dead).

Conor McAnespy went close for the hosts before Gary Beckett again fired over after good work by Crane. Blain Canpbell replied with another good effort for Tummery as the tie started to come to life.Town were dealt a blow on thirty-four minutes with injury forcing star man Wallace out of the action. Worse was to follow shortly afterwards as Town talisman Gary Beckett's involvement also came to a premature end as he pulled up with an apparent hamstring injury. Tummery immediately went for the jugular and were unlucky not to go ahead when Paul McHugh crashed his header of the Town bar after a Campbell corner.

However, cometh the hour (or forty-three minutes to be precise), cometh the man (or "wee man" to be exact) as Town went ahead in spectacular fashion. Mark Beckett picked up a loose ball approximately twenty-five yards from the home goal. He then embarked on a mazy crossfield run, jinking his way past three opponents before turning and firing an unstoppable effort into the top corner of Ward's net. It was the perfect half-time tonic for Town's injury woes.If Town dominated the opening period then the second-half was to be "backs to the wall" stuff as the home side went in search of an equaliser.

First opportunity fell to Campbell whose header just cleared the bar following a McCann centre. Pat Cadden then had to be alert, smartly clearing as Ryan Cunningham beared down on goal. Substitute Conor McCullagh fired wide from a one on one situation, on sixty-four minutes, as Tummery started to turn the screw. Beckett did go close after some good work from Crane and Ryan Hanna but it was a rare foray forward as the hosts continued to press. Tummon had to be at his best to deflect Cunningham's dangerous delivery, before Cunningham himself headed over from a late McCarney cross.It was, however, to be the Tyrone side's final chance as Town played down the clock to secure victory.

Beckett's solitary strike proved the difference in the end. It was a goal worthy of winning any game.

And I mean any game.

The Town: P Cadden, C Smith, C Tummon, M Crawford, D McQuade, M McAuley, R Hanna, P Crane, G Beckett, M Beckett, F Wallace.Subs - R Connolly for Wallace (34), N Love for G Beckett (41).

Referee: Paul Kelsey - Officious but effective. Excellent performance from the Stalybridge whistler. His presence would have been gladly welcomed in last May's brutal Mulhern Cup enconter at the same venue.

Attendance: An impressive 124. Both sides were in fine voice as the all too familiar Tummery yellow card count gathered pace in a feisty second-half. Has this fixture replaced our more traditional rivals as Town's "derby game"?

Top Townie: Neil Love - covered manfully in an unfamiliar centre-half role. His selfless performance epitomised Town's famous indomitable spirit. Crane, McCauley, Tummon, Connolly and Cadden amongst others were also to the fore on an afternoon when hearts and not minds were required to win the day.

Champagne Moment: While it's always nice to put one over on the cage fighters, the champagne corks were popping only for young Nessa Judge who happily continues the recent baby boom down Celtic Park way.

Comedy Moment: The ramshackle "changing accomodation" (see "shower" pic below) supplied by our ever hospitable hosts. In the words of one famous Enniskillener it was, "hardly the Hilton." How a derelict container is deemed a fit and proper changing area for an Irish Junior Cup tie is mind-boggling.

Words from a Song: Bye Bye Badman.

Manager Watch: Great afternoon's work. A fantastic performance and result achieved in the hardest of away venues and the face of adversity. It was a victory chiselled out of grit, spirit and team ethic allied to a little touch of class. Well done!