Rearcross 'A' 2 - Doon 2
(Rearcross win 4-2 on penalties)

14th July 2003
Rearcross 'A' were rather fortunate to pull through this tie against a dogged Doon outfit who gave more than their all in a semi-final that went right to the wire, Doon made a brisk start and threatened when a free kick sailed over the bar in the 2nd minute after Declan O'Toole had been checked for a pushing infringement, Joey Nolan found John Ryan Luke with a free kick three minutes later with the resulting effort from the edge of the six yard box not far away. Derek O'Toole released Emmet Steed in the 10th minute only for the ball to clip the cross bar. Emmet Steed's shot was on target in the 14th minute, however a deflection kept the scoreline intact. Simon Burke saved from Joey Nolan with five minutes remaining in the half. Rearcross went ahead six minutes in to second half when Liam O'Toole was well positioned to head to the net from close range, Doon were not going down without a battle and were back on level terms three minutes later when Tommy Dawson provided the cross to Dessie Ryan who headed past Oliver Kennedy. It was tit for tat at this stage and Rearcross went ahead for the second time in the 12th minute when a looping cross from Joey Nolan was met by Emmet Steed who drove the ball under the Doon custodian. Rearcross might have added a third in the in the 43rd minute however Derek O'Toole's effort lifted at the right time from a Doon perspective and went over the bar. Doon were showing great determination at this stage and sure enough were back on level terms with ten minutes remaining when a move in the middle of the field saw the ball knocked in to no man's land and it was Dessie Ryan who made most of the situation as he scrambled the ball to the net against all the odds. A good move in the dying moments sent Nigel Ryan up the wing, however the Doon backs closed in. Tommy Dawson nearly got through with seconds remaining, however Oliver Kennedy was there to avert the danger. Doon's pattern of play changed to a defensive mode fearing their exit on the golden goal rule, as such it was Rearcross who were making the incisions with the Doon custodian saving efforts from Derek O'Toole and Nigel Ryan in the first period of extra time, and again came to the rescue in the second period with a fine stop from the boot of Nigel Ryan, the afair was taken to a penalty shootout with Rearcross coming through on a 4-2 scoreline, Brian Fenton and Dessie Ryan struck the target for Doon while John Ryan Luke, Joey Nolan, Liam O'Toole, & Nigel Ryan banged home for Rearcross to set up a local derby final with Bilboa on the August Bank Holiday Monday.

Rearcross 'A': Oliver Kennedy, Shane Reynolds, Declan O'Toole, Martin McLoughlin, John Ryan Luke, PJ McLoughlin, Emmet Steed, Liam Nolan(B), Liam O'Toole, Joey Nolan, Derek O'Toole
Subs: Joey Ryan, Adrian Hurley, Davy O'Toole, Ger Kennedy, Nigel Ryan

Doon: Simon Burke, David Burke, Alan Shanahan, Robert James Hammersley, Kevin Shanahan, James Bradshaw, Brian Fenton, Tommy Dawson, Cian Creedon, Robert McLoughlin, Dessie Ryan
Sub: Joe Shanahan

Referee: Jim Lees