The FA Youth Cup Final featuring several Irish players will be contested over two legs next week by Ipswich Town and Southampton. The first leg will take place on Monday 18th April at St Mary’s Stadium, Southampton with kick-off at 19.45 hours. The return leg at Portman Road will take place on Friday 22nd April and will also kick-off at 19.45 hours. Both matches will be televised live by Sky.

Ipswich Town defeated Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 at White hart Lane in the second leg of the semi-final for a 4-1 aggregate victory. Young Irish players Shane Supple, Owen Garvan and Cathal Lorden were prominent in the second leg victory and with Billy Clarke who scored in the first leg and Meath man Michael Synott who was on the bench for almost half of the Ipswich Town team.

The second leg of the other semi-final was a nerve jangling affair with Southampton scoring during the first half to extend their aggregate lead to two goals. Hosts Wolverhampton Wanderers were however in no mood to surrender meekly and forced the game into extra time with two second half goals. Wolves took the aggregate lead in the first period of extra time but following the dismissal of Stephen Gleeson ten minutes from the end for a second bookable offence, Irish U19 International, Leon Best added to his first leg goal with a Southampton equaliser three minutes from time.

In the penalty shoot out, Best once again held his nerve to open the scoring for Southampton who went on to victory by a 5-4 penalty margin.