Corinthians booked their place in the semi-finals of this season’s ECAP FA Cup with a hard-fought victory over St George’s on Saturday.

At a sunny Ballafletcher, the Whites had to come from behind against the Saints as a late first-half blitz and a Sean Doyle hat-trick helped them seal a 5-2 win which sets up a mouth-watering clash with Rushen United later this week.

The sides had met in the Premier League only a few weeks earlier when Corinthians completed an unbeaten season with a 3-1 win at Glencrutchery Road prior to lifting the coveted league trophy.

Once again though, Geordies pushed their opponents and threatened to cause an upset of sorts when they took a 13th-minute lead through the impressive Jacob Crook who embarked on a mazy run through the Corinthians defence before slotting past Adam Killey in the Whites’ goal.

The visitors very nearly doubled the advantage midway through the first half when the evergreen Johnny Myers had an effort cleared off the line by Ronan McDonnell.

But the game was turned on its head when the home side netted no fewer than four goals in an 11-minute spell just before half-time.

There was an element of controversy about the equaliser when Dan Simpson chased a long ball down the left wing and hooked a cross into the area where Luke Murray powered home a towering header, with Geordies adamant that the ball had gone out of play in the build-up.

A few minutes later it was 2-1 when the Whites were awarded a free-kick some way out and Connor Gorman whipped in a superb swerving effort which deceived Geordies goalkeeper Dave Cherry before nestling into the top corner of the net.

Then Golden Boot winner Doyle got in on the act when he netted from the penalty spot after Stephen Whitley had embarked on a skillful slaloming run into the box before being sent tumbling to the ground.

And it was 4-1 right on the stroke of half-time when full-back Darren Cain delivered a superb first-time pass over the St George’s defence to Doyle who unleashed a fierce left-footed strike beyond Cherry to put the Whites in control.

But to their credit, Geordies hit back only five minutes into the second half when Ciaran McNulty seized upon a defensive lapse in the Corinthians ranks to fire home and give his side a lifeline in the match.

Any hopes of a Saints comeback were soon snuffed out though as the Whites restored their three-goal cushion five minutes later when Doyle latched onto Whitley’s angled ball over the top before deftly lobbing Cherry to complete his hat-trick and make it 5-2.

Murray went close to adding a sixth when his effort from the edge of the box was deflected just wide, while at the other end of the pitch Connor Birch headed against the bar from close range.

Nathan Cardy nearly pulled one back for Geordies when he met a cross from the left wing, but Killey blocked bravely to deny him, before Simpson’s mazy run at the other end resulted in him firing a shot straight at Cherry.

In the end, there were no further goals scored as Corinthians triumphed 5-2 to set up a clash of the titans against rivals Rushen this Thursday evening at Ballafletcher.