Peel will meet holders Laxey in Boxing Day’s Parkinson Railway Cup semi-final.

That’s after they won a thrilling semi-final, defeating St Mary’s 4-3 after extra-time at Groves Road on Saturday.

Substitute Neil Birchenough was the westerners’ hat-trick hero with the crucial match-winning goal, all this after he had come on to take the match into extra-time.

St Mary’s seemed to be in control after Peter Langridge gave them a 39th minute lead and Lee Dixon superbly scored direct from a corner early in the second half.

However, the loss of Dixon to injury soon afterwards was a major blow for the Saints and Peel fought back, led by Birchenough, who reduced the arrears before levelling to force extra-time.

It was in extra-time that Tony Duggan gave Peel a 3-2 advantage and St Mary’s’ hopes were dented further when Johnny Pankhurst was dismissed, yet Langridge equalised to haul the 10-man Saints level.

However, Birchenough struck once again to emerge the hero and book Peel’s place in the final.