Douglas lift City Division football crown against Nemo

Douglas 1-8 Nemo Rangers 0-10

Douglas completed the junior football double after they defeated last year’s beaten finalists Nemo Rangers to claim the AOS Security Seandún Junior A Football title before a sizeable attendance at Ballinlough on Saturday. 

This followed up their AOS Security Seandún Junior B earlier in the day at the same venue.

After a promising start by the Trabeg side, who last lifted the cup in 2007, Douglas took a grip on proceedings, as their goal in the 12th minute was to prove decisive. Nemo Rangers outscored Douglas 0-3 to 0-1 in the second half but it wasn't enough.

Eric Dilloughrey put the Trabeg side into the lead with two points, including a free, before Douglas seized the initiative.

Jack Cunningham tagged on a point from play for Douglas in the eighth minute. Harry Quilligan levelled matters as he converted a mark from outside the Trabeg side’s 20-metre line.

Douglas took the lead in the 12th minute when Gearóid O’Sullivan set up James Burke for the game's only goal from the edge of the Nemo Rangers square.

Douglas continued the have the Trabeg side pinned back entering the second quarter and they stretched the margin to 1-5 to 0-2, courtesy of a pointed free by Quilligan and a point from a mark by Evan Collins.

Nemo Rangers responded when Aaron Browne converted a free in the 20th minute, but Cunningham replied with his second point from play.

The Trabeg side reduced the margin to three points when Dilloughrey tagged on a point from play and this was followed by a free by Jason Lyons.

Both sides exchanged points from play approaching the break with Sean Nagle and Browne scoring one each for Nemo Rangers. O Luanaigh and Brendan Powter replied with a point apiece for Douglas.

This left Douglas with an interval lead of 1-7 to 0-7.

Browne reduced the deficit to two points, three minutes after the resumption, but Cunningham replied with his third point from play for Douglas, in the 36th minute.

Browne pointed a free for the Trabeg side and Barry O’Driscoll got the game’s last point, entering the final quarter.

A combination of wayward shooting and spectacular saves by Nemo Rangers net-minder Cillian Martin were to prevent Douglas from producing further scores, before the final whistle was greeted with jubilant scenes by the Douglas supporters.

Scorers for Douglas: J Cunningham 0-3, J Burke 1-0, H Quilligan 0-2 (0-1 m, 0-1 f), E Collins (m), F O Luanaigh, P Powter 0-1 each.

Nemo Rangers: A Browne 0-4 (0-2 f), E Dilloughrey 0-3 (0-1 f), J Lyons (f), S Nagle, B O’Driscoll 0-1 each.

DOUGLAS: C O’Leary; N Lynch, C Kenny, L Fogarty; A Young, J Burke, D O’Callaghan; G O’Sullivan, B Powter; C Mac Phaidín, C O’Keeffe, F O Luanaigh; E Collins, J Cunningham, H Quilligan.

Subs: M Howell for Mac Phaidín, J Hartnett for O Luanaigh (both h-t), B Fraher for O’Keeffe (41), M Nason for Cunningham (56).

NEMO: C Martin; S Mulcahy, C Coughlan, T O’Brien; N Ó Sé, J O’Donovan, D Coughlan; E Kelly, F Twohig; S Burke, S Nagle, E Dilloughrey; C O’Brien, J Lyons, A Browne.

Subs: C Casey for Mulcahy (28), B O’Driscoll for C O’Brien (36), P O’Dwyer for Nagle (48), R O’Connor for Browne (56), D Egan for Coughlan (57).

Referee: James Regan (Lough Rovers).