Douglas complete junior double with defeat of neighbours Nemo Rangers

A James Burke goal in just the 12th minute was key for Douglas, giving them a lead they never relinquished. 

The game opened up with Nemo racing into a 0-2 to no score lead through a brace from Eric Diloughrey.

Douglas had to wait until the eighth minute for their first white flag, and it was Jack Cunningham who curled the ball over.

Harry Quilligan followed that up by converting a mark, and the two clubs were level for the first time since throw-in.

Douglas went long during their next spell in possession and a pass from Gearoid O’Sullivan was picked up by Burke, who hit the back of the net by beating a charging Cillian Martin.

That made it 1-2 to 0-2 and an Evan Collins mark increased their advantage in the 16th minute.

A Quilligan free and Cunningham’s second of the game put Douglas further in front at 1-5 to 0-3, and Nemo responded by pushing for a goal.

Jason Lyons personally led that cause but the full-forward was thwarted by close marking by Donnacha O’Callaghan around the square.

At that stage of the game, 20 minutes had gone by since Nemo’s last score and their barren run was ended by Diloughrey.

Lyons converted a free within seconds of the kick-out, but Douglas were still in front at 1-5 to 0-5.

The eventual winners then had a stroke of luck as a Chris O’Keeffe free dropped short at the back post. Fiachra O’Luanaigh managed to get to the ball, turn, and he raised a white flag from tightest of angles.

Douglas gained a four-point cushion with that, and Nemo hit back with points from Sean Nagle and Aaron Browne.

With the gap down to two, Brendan Powter carved out an opening for himself and split the posts in the dying seconds of the half for a 1-7 to 0-7 advantage.

The game restarted with a hat-trick of missed goal chances by Cunningham, Collins, and Quilligan.

Browne also scored for Nemo, and Cunningham immediately retaliated for Douglas to make it 1-8 to 0-8.

It was set up for a big finish, especially after Browne sent over a free and Barry O’Driscoll split the posts.

An injury-time inswinger from James O’Donovan drifted wide and Douglas hung on to win the trophy at the expense of their local rivals. It completed a double on the day for Douglas as their junior B side also took city honours with a 3-8 to 1-8 win over Ballyphehane.

Scorers for Douglas: J Burke 1-0; and J Cunningham 0-3, H Quilligan 0-2 (1m, 1f), F O’Luanaigh, B Powter, E Collins (1m) all 0-1.

Scorers for Nemo Rangers: A Browne 0-4 (2f); E Diloughrey 0-3 (1f), S Nagle, J Lyons (1f), and B O’Driscoll all 0-1.

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

Subs: M Howell for McPhaidin (HT); J Hartnett for O’Luanaigh (HT), B Fraher for O’Keeffe (50), M Nason for Collins (56)

NEMO RANGERS: C Martin; S Mulcahy, C Coughlan, T O’Brien, Neville O’Se, J O’Donovan, D Coughlan, E Kelly, F Twohig, S Burke, S Nagle, E Diloughrey, C O’Brien, J Lyons, A Browne.

Subs: C Casey for Mulcahy (28); B O’Driscoll for O’Brien (37), P O’Dwyer for Nagle (50), R O’Connor for Browne (56), D Egan for Coughlan (58).

Referee: James Regan (Lough Rovers)