Strong first half sees Douglas minor footballers back into the county final

Douglas 1-10 Inniscarra 0-8

DEFENDING champions Douglas are through to the Premier 1 MFC final against Glanmire after their solid showing against Inniscarra.

The hosts were six points up at half-time but even at that, they needed the assurance of a Shane Aherne goal to get the better of their opponents.

That second-half strike put the favourites nine points clear and it was always going to be tough from there for Inniscarra. But to their credit they made Douglas battle all the way and outscored the winners in that half, led by the likes of Stephen Linehan and Liam O’Connor.

However Douglas never really looked like losing with the likes of Eoghan Nash, Mark Howell, Aherne and Darie Burke leading by example. They were without Alan O’Hare but he is expected to be fit to line out in the final next Wednesday night. Douglas got off to the better start, with Kevin McSweeney putting them in front, with Fionn Sheehan doubling their advantage.

Nash got his first, from a 45, to make it 0-3 to no score with 11 minutes gone. Two minutes later Linehan got Inniscarra off the mark, before points from Aherne and Michael Nason made it 0-4 to 0-1.

Douglas looked in for a goal when Nash played a great ball to Sheehan, but Inniscarra keeper John Gould made a top-class save to deny him.

Nash pointed the resultant 45 and Conor O’Donovan added a point as Douglas led 0-7 to 0-1. Sean Leisk scored from a free for Inniscarra, with O’Donovan getting the last score of the half as Douglas led 0-8 to 0-2 at the break.

Aherne and Linehan exchanged points before the telling score came with 36 minutes gone. A great ball from Burke found Aherne and this time Gould had no chance of saving as he made it 1-9 to 0-3.

Leisk and O’Connor reduced the deficit, with Adam Dunphy replying for Douglas.

O’Connor was on target again with two frees and Linehan got the final score as Douglas ran out winners and will now face Glanmire in the final next Wednesday night.

Scorers for Douglas: S Aherne 1-2, E Nash (0-2 45), C O’Donovan 0-2 each, K McSweeney, M Nason, A Dunphy, F Sheehan (f) 0-1 each.

Inniscarra: S Linehan, L O’Connor (f) 0-3 each, S Leisk 0-2 f.

DOUGLAS: C O’Leary; S Geaney, C Buckley, C Donlon; D Kelly, D Burke, C Kenny; E Nash, M Howell; K McSweeney, M Nason, S Aherne; C O’Donovan, F Sheehan, A Sheehy.

Subs: D Squires for C Donlon (ht), A O’Brien for K McSweeney (42m), A Dunphy for S Aherne (46m), S St Leger for A Sheehy (52m), N Lynch for M Nason (58m).

INNISCARRA: J Gould; S Aherne, N Vaughan, E Piggott; O Morris, C O’Leary, J Enright; S Quinlivan, S Leisk; O O’Brien, S Linehan, M Linehan, L O’Connor, J Roberts, S Dineen.

Subs: B Lowney for O O’Brien (28m), C Connolly for J Enright (36m), K O’Mahony for M Linehan (55m).

Referee: Brian Coniry, Crosshaven.