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Douglas Hall stun First Division high fliers

Saturday 16th June 2007, 9:59 pm

The Munster Senior League's Douglas Hall landed the shock result of this year's FAI Cup so far as they took apart high flying League of Ireland First Division side Cobh Ramblers at Cobh's own ground Saint Colman's Park. The non-league side ran out 4-1 winners to ensure there will be at least three non-league sides in the last sixteen of this year's competition.

Far from overawed by the task ahead of them, Douglas Hall took the lead after 18 minutes as Ger O'Donovan turned and fired home from the edge of the Cobh box.

Technically the home side, Douglas made it 2-0 minutes before half-time as Brendan O'Connell headed in from O'Donovan's cross.

The expected Cobh fight-back never materialized after the break and Douglas went 3-0 up on the hour as Brendan Sweeney blasted home a long range effort to the roof of the Cobh net.

It got better for the "underdogs" as they went 4-0 up and ended the hopes of even the most optimistic Cobh fans when O'Connell netted his second of the night on 65 minutes. The Hall player getting the vital touch after good work from O'Donovan and Brian Wilkinson.

Cobh got a goal back when Kevin Murray headed in from close range in the 85th minute. However, the game was already long decided at that stage and Douglas Hall can now look forward to the third round draw.

Douglas Hall : A O'Donovan, McSorly, Mulcahy, Wilkinson, Long, Moore, D O'Connell (McCarthy 86), Sweeney, Brohan, B O'Connell (Heffernan 74), G O'Donovan (Roche 81).
Cobh Ramblers : Deasy, Carey, Meade, Murray, Guthrie, Barrett (Cambridge 70), O'Neill, Kearney, O'Reilly, Nolan (Cummins 46), McCarthy (Coleman 70).