Football: Old Boys win promotion to the premier league

Peel beat nine-man Ayre Utd to reach Hospital Cup last four

Douglas High School Old Boys (Dhsob.) have secured a return to the Canada Life Men's Premier League after a dramatic late 2-1 victory over promotion rivals Ramsey Youth Centre & Old Boys (Rycob.) last night (29 April).

With both teams knowing a win for them would give them passage into the top flight, 'Old Boys' on 22 minutes as Martin King rose highest from a corner to power a header home.

Following a push in the second period for a leveller, Rycob. found it in the 86th minute courtesy of a well-placed Leyton Ballard free-kick to set up a tense finish.

With things finely poised in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time, Jacob Stones grabbed a late winner and promotion for the hosts, hitting the back of the net with a strike from around 20 yards.

Success for Douglas High School Old Boys means they'll head back to the Canada Life Men's Premier League after a two-season absence following relegation in the 2022/23 campaign.

Elsewhere yesterday, premier league champions Peel guaranteed their place in the last four of this year's Manx Quality Sheds Hospital Cup with a 2-1 win over nine-man Ayre United in a rearranged quarter-final showdown.

After a goalless first half at Douglas Road, it was the visitors Ayre United who broke the deadlock one minute into the second period through Jamie Callister.

Just six minutes later Peel were level as Tomas Brown swept home from the penalty spot before Ayre were temporarily reduced to ten men when Chris Duggan was sin-binned.

During that period Peel capitalised to get a second and decisive goal through Daniel Bell with their northern visitors finishing the contest with only nine players on the pitch due to Matthew Skillicorn and Shaun Kelly both being sent off later on for two bookable offences.

Midweek football action on Island continues tonight (30 April) with three games matches across the combination divisions before the quarter-finals of the Cowell Cup competition for Under-21 sides on Thursday (1 May).

You can view Tuesday's results and the upcoming midweek fixtures below:

Tuesday, 29 April 2025

Manx Quality Sheds Hospital Cup Quarter-Finals

Peel 2-1 Ayre United

Canada Life Men's Premier League

Foxdale 4-3 St John's United

Ardern & Druggan Ltd. Division 2

Dhsob. 2-1 Rycob. (Dhsob. are promoted to the Canada Life Men's Premier League)

Malew A-W Colby (Malew unable to field a team)

Braddan H-W Castletown (Castletown unable to field a team)

Wednesday, 30 April 2025

Canada Life Combination One (6.30pm KO)

Foxdale vs Corinthians

Ramsey vs Rushen United

Ardern & Druggan Ltd. Combination Two (6.30pm KO)

Castletown vs Braddan

Thursday, 1 May 2025

Cowell Cup Semi-Finals (6.15pm KO)

Braddan vs Rushen United

Ramsey vs Onchan