Monday 10 Mar 2025

McComb's Coach Travel Intermediate Cup | Quarter-finals recap

Four teams are left to battle it out for McComb's Coach Travel Intermediate Cup honours following Saturday's quarter-final ties.

The 'tie of the round' saw East Belfast host last season's runners-up Crumlin Star at East Park.

League champions East Belfast got the better of the last clash between the sides, winning 3-1 back in October, but on this occasion Star won through to reach the last four.

Matthew Devine opened the scoring for the visitors as early as the fourth minute before, just short of the half-hour, former Cliftonville, Linfield and Larne legend Martin Donnelly hit Star's second to ultimately secure their progression to the next round.

Holders Immaculata are also still going strong following 3-2 home victory over NIFL Premier Intermediate League side Ballymacash Rangers.

'Mac moved in front on the half-hour mark when Brian McCaul converted from the spot, but Benny Igiehon hit back for the visitors not long after that with a looping header over keeper Ruairi Murray.

Then, two minutes from the break, Igiehon found the net for a second time to hand Rangers the lead going in at half-time.

That was how it stayed until midway through the second half when Brandon Shannon levelled for Immaculata with a free-kick into the bottom corner … and the 36-year-old struck again just four minutes from time with a strike from distance to see Immaculata through to continue their defence of the trophy.

With Ballymacash's exit that leaves just Queen's University standing as the only NIFL side left in the competition - and what a performance it was from the Students as they hit seven without reply past fellow PIL opponents Lisburn Distillery at The Dub.

They needed just three minutes to open the scoring when Tommy Smyth lifted the ball over the defence and into the net before, only seven minutes after that, Marc McKenna added a second with a finish past keeper Dylan Agnew.

It remained that way until early in the second half when Andrew Clarke then proceeded to score a remarkable four goals in just over 25 minutes to well and truly kill the game off.

He effectively ended the game as a contest on 52 minutes with a low shot into the bottom corner, bagged his second a few moments later with a header from a corner, claimed his hat-trick on 73 minutes from the edge of the box and then hit his fourth with just over ten minutes remaining!

Then, for good measure, substitute Charlie Chapman knocked home number seven right at the end from a quickly taken free-kick.

St. James' Swifts complete the semi-final line-up following a penalty shoot-out defeat of Crewe United at Donegal Celtic Park.

Scoreless for an hour, Kevin McGuinness edged Crewe in front on 61 minutes with a tap in after William McCracken had teed him up after breaking free of the defence.

Swifts levelled ten minutes from time through Jude Winchester and with neither side finding the net again in extra-time it needed spot-kicks to sort it out, with substitute Joseph McCall knocking home the winning penalty into the top left corner to send Swifts through.