ST George’s hopes of lifting back-to-back grand slams remain intact after Chris Bass Sr’s side triumphed 0-3 at Laxey on Saturday to reach their third consecutive Blackburn Construction Services Railway Cup final.
After a tight first-half that ended goal-less, Geordies once again produced a stirring second-45 performance to ease past the hosts.
Skipper Sean Quaye got the ball rolling just three minutes into the period with a long-range shot that arrowed past Andy Perry and into the back of the Laxey net.
Quaye doubled his side’s lead quarter of an hour later as the Railway Cup holders began to control the tie.
Steve Falconer’s Miners tried their best to get back into the semi-final encounter, but St George’s striker Calum Morrissey sealed his side’s passage to Boxing Day’s showdown with St John’s, slotting home a third for the visitors in time added on.
A three-goal winning margin didn’t look likely in a tight yet end-to-end opening to the fixture at a crisp Glen Road.
Indeed aside from an early headed chance for Geordies’ centre-back Mark Teare, it was the home team that started the brighter. Crucially, however, they couldn’t turn pressure into clear-cut chances against a St George’s defence that has now only conceded two goals in their last seven matches.
Shaun Kelly’s deflected free-kick from distance was as close as Falconer’s men got to breaking the stalemate as the two sides turned around deadlocked.
Cue St George’s now almost customary second-half improvement. The Glencrutchery Road outfit came flying out of the blocks, the ever-willing Chris Bass Jr flashing an effort just over the bar after his initial corner from the right was blocked, before winger Gary Quirk volleyed just wide.
Island skipper Quaye, employed in an unusual central midfield role, then took the game by the scruff of the neck firing in a rare long-range goal from 25 yards out.
With the Laxey rearguard a little shell-shocked, Geordies continued to press forward, the increasingly influential Bass Jr drawing a fine save out of Perry after scampering through one-on-one with the former Ramsey custodian.
Sadly for the large home support, Perry’s stop only momentarily denied their opponents, Quaye grabbing a second of the match halfway through the second half when he headed home Bass Jr’s resulting corner from the right.
Ciaran McNulty was unlucky not to add a third just moments later when he expertly controlled a long pass before firing narrowly wide of Perry’s far post.
With Geordies on top, they tried to add to their advantage - Quaye and Bass Jr linking up to give the latter the opportunity to play in Julian Ringham with a lovely through ball to the left flank. Sadly the island full-back couldn’t get the ball under control and the ball was bundled wide.
Quaye then nearly completed a rare hat-trick as he headed wide another pin-point Bass Jr corner and it looked as if it was only a matter of time before Geordies killed the game off.
However, their hard-working opponents continued to toil and an Ashley Webster effort that went across the face of goal and narrowly wide sparked a good spell for the home side.
Chris Brown, who was now deployed up front after starting the match at centre-back, sent in a cross from the left that Darryl Haslett miss-hit. The ball fell kindly to sub Nigel Beattie but he poked just ashy as Grant Dawson’s goal remained intact.
Former golden boot winner Brown then sent a header straight at his former island colleague Dawson as Laxey pushed forward in search of a goal.
However, as they pressed the Miners left themselves open to the swift counter-attack, Morrissey drilling a shot straight at Perry after finding a way through the threadbare Laxey defence.
The Geordies’ number 10 was only denied a goal momentarily, as deep in injury time he was selflessly picked out by McNulty after the latter had bundled his was through on goal. With an empty net at his mercy, Morrissey stroked home to confirm the victory and give his side a shot at an eighth Railway Cup title.
Team check
Laxey: Andy Perry, Sam Theobald, Mike Haslett (Nigel Beattie 76m), Chris Brown, Ryan Williamson, Gary Williams ©, Darryl Haslett, Paul Rowley, Shaun Kelly, Mark Wolfenden (John Callow 67m), Ashley Webster. Sub not used: Dave Corlett.
St George’s: Grant Dawson, Julian Ringham, Sam Caine, Johnny Myers, Mark Teare, Gary Quirk (Reece Thompson 88m), Sean Quaye ©, Frank Jones, Chris Bass Jr, Calum Morrissey, Ciaran McNulty. Sub not used: Stuart Morris.
Referee: Chris Taggart
Assistants: Andy Lodge, David Murphy.
Man of the Match: Quaye (St George’s) Geordies skipper led from the front with two important goals
Match rating: HHHHH