A place in Boxing Day’s Manx Car Store Railway Cup final was on the line at the Bowl on Wednesday evening and it was Corinthians who rose to the occasion, punishing Onchan mistakes to book their spot in the festive showpiece on Boxing Day.

Corinthians started sharply and were ahead inside four minutes. Josh Ridings swung a corner into the near post, bodies crowded the six-yard box and Sean Doyle was quickest to react, bundling the ball over the line from close range.

Onchan responded well to the early setback and began to grow into the game. Ethan Leivers attempted an overhead kick that forced Stewart Smith to poke the ball around the post.

The Whites continued to find joy down the left through Dan Simpson but were repeatedly caught by the offside trap.

Connor Clark went close on 17 minutes, cutting in from the right and bending an effort from range that rattled the crossbar.

The game became more physical as James Kerruish was booked for a sliding challenge on Simpson, while Luke Murray was fortunate to escape a caution for an off-the-ball foul on Tom Creer.

On 28 minutes the Os dragged themselves level. Callum Dawson launched a long free-kick from the edge of his own box, Leivers nipped in behind a defender who left it after a shout from the keeper and the forward calmly poked home.

Parity lasted less than two minutes though. Another corner caused problems at the near post and this time it appeared to go straight in from Ridings, once again exposing a glaring weakness that Onchan never truly addressed.

The killer blow before the break came from pure chaos. Dawson rushed well outside his area to clear under pressure, got nowhere near the ball and left himself stranded.

Clark showed composure beyond his years, turning inside and striking the ball into an empty net from 25 yards to make it 1-3 and leave the Os shellshocked.

Onchan began the second period with a renewed energy, Andy Asbridge and Creer pressing high and chasing everything. The Whites still looked dangerous from set pieces, again threatening from a near-post corner that was eventually cleared.

An hour in, Onchan continued to chase the game and Tom O’Neill forced Matthew Quirk to tip a header onto the roof of the net. Any lingering hope was ended moments later by a strike that deserved a semi-final stage.

Nathan Little was afforded the freedom of the Bowl and, from 30 yards out, he unleashed an unstoppable effort, sweetly struck which arrowed into the top corner. Dawson had no chance and the contest was effectively over at 1-4.

The final stages drifted into a midfield battle with little in the way of clear chances. Clark went close to adding another late on, his effort inside the box palmed away by Dawson before being gathered at the second attempt. Onchan never truly looked like finding a route back.

Corinthians were deserved winners and looked dangerous whenever they went forward, particularly from corners and wide areas.

Onchan competed well in spells and showed decent energy after the break, but defensive lapses from corners and one glaring goalkeeping moment left them chasing shadows. In a semi-final those moments are punished, and Corinthians were ruthless.

DEAN TURTON