Douglas Hall hit Stella Maris for six to reach the semi final of the U18 FAI Youth Cup

Douglas Hall 6 

Stella Maris 2

DOUGLAS HALL put in a very clinical display to beat Dublin side Stella Maris by six goals to two in the quarter-final of the U18 FAI Youth Cup at Moneygourney last Sunday.

This was a wonderful display of football by both these sides, however, the Hall were lethal in front of goal, that will see them into the hat for the semi final in the coming weeks.

Douglas led 3-1 at the half-time break with Cian Corkery, Louka Moran and Brian Linehan all getting on the scoresheet for them, while Samuel O’Donohoe netted for the Dublin side.

The home side scored a minute from the restart to lead 4-1 courtesy of a well-taken goal from the head of Corkery. 

Stella pulled another goal back four minutes later when Max Mulhall volley crashed off the underside of the crossbar and into the net. 

However, as Stella pushed men forward they were caught on the break by the impressive Ronan O’Shea who scored twice in a three minute spell for Douglas to march into the semi final of the competition.

It was the visitors who were the first team to settle and when Paddy Dowling saw sight of goal in the 14th minute it took a good save from Lucas Kennedy in the Hall goal to deny him. 

However, after been under the cosh for the opening 20 minutes the Hall took the lead 1-0 when Cian Corkery saw a gap in the Stella defence and his wonderful strike from outside the box struck the back of the net. 

The game was level 1-1 ten minutes later, when Stella was awarded a free kick 30 years from goal and Samuel O’Donohoe stunned the home side when his well struck effort that flew past Kennedy. 

The home side restored their one goal advantage to lead 2-1 in the 35th minute, when Louka Mohan was in the right place to turn in Ronan O’Shea pass from close range. 

Then Brian Linehan won a ball in the middle of the park and when he saw Stella’s keeper off his line his 40 yard chip flew into the roof of the net to gave the Hall a 3-1 lead.

Things got worse for the Dubliner’s a minute from the restart.

Mohan did well to beat his defender down the left wing and his inch perfect cross was headed home by Corkery for his second goal of the game and the Hall to lead 4-1. 

Stella to their credit kept playing their attractive football and got their reward five minutes later when Max Mulhall scored with a wonderful volley to reduce the deficit 4-2. 

The game changed in the 75th minute, Stella’s player Mulhall broke from midfield, however, he was called back for a free kick that had their management team incensed, however, Kennedy play a long ball to O’Shea who showed some wonderful skill to control the ball before calmly stroking his effort into the far corner of the net for Hall to lead 5-2. 

The Dublin side threw caution to the wind and pushed men forward and they were caught on the break two minutes later, when O’Shea was released by a superb ball from George Howard he then showed great composure to slot the ball home for the Hall to lead 6-2 and that was enough to see them safely into the semi final.

DOUGLAS HALL: Lucas Kennedy, Dara O’Brien, Scott Moynihan , Eoin Kelly, Ben Heas, George Howard, Oisin Twohig, Brian Linehan, Louka Mohan, Cian Corkery, Ronan O’Shea.

Subs: Robert O’Kelly for Mohan (64), Dylan McCarthy for Twohig (67), Andrew Murray for Corkery (75), Harry Walsh for Linehan (81).

STELLA MARIS: Tadus Bekeza, Korey O’Sullivan, Lennon Kirov, Samuel O'Donohoe, Josh Benton, Charlie Townsend, Flynn Healy, Sean O’Donoghue, Paddy Dowling, Max Mulhall, Nathan Halford.

Subs: Josh Connelly for Kirov (37), Calum Mooney for Halford (55), Eathan Campion for O’Donoghue (81).

Referee: Anthony Morrison (Kerry).

Assistant Referee’s: Thomas Sheehan, Denis O’Rourke ( Kerry).