Connor Young nets brace as Hibs U18s start campaign with 4-0 thrashing of Dundee United

Connor Young bagged a double as Hibs Under-18s began their league campaign with a convincing 4-0 win against Dundee United at the Hibernian Training Centre last Friday.

Connor Young (left) and Josh O'Connor were on target for Hibs Under-18s

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The forward, who impressed on loan at Lowland League side Civil Service Strollers before lower-league football was suspended, scored twice in the second half as the wee Hibees proved too strong for the visitors.

Defender Mack Weir opened the scoring, heading home from a free kick midway through the first half, with Young doubling the advantage from the penalty spot shortly after the interval.

Young then added to his personal tally with a free kick from the edge of the box before Josh O’Connor, son of former Easter Road favourite Garry O’Connor, completed the rout with a penalty of his own with seven minutes remaining.

O’Connor is one of several Easter Road youngsters to have spent time training with the first-team squad at East Mains this term and was part of the seven-strong batch of Academy graduates who penned professional deals in January.

Also in the starting line-up was Ethan Laidlaw, who was later named in the matchday squad for Sunday’s Scottish Premiership defeat by Rangers at Ibrox and travelled with fellow youngster Jacob Blaney, and Jayden Fairley who is currently on loan at Hibs’ partner club Stenhousemuir.

Oscar MacIntyre, who yesterday signed his first professional deal with the Capital club, was also in the team along with goalkeeper Murray Johnson, who has attracted interest from English Premier League sides Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Seven members of the squad that defeated United were part of the Under-14s side that won the Foyle Cup in Northern Ireland in 2018.

Next up for Hibs’ Under-18s is an Edinburgh derby against Hearts on April 16, followed by a meeting with Celtic on April 20.

Team: Murray Johnson, Josh McCulloch, Oscar MacIntyre, Mack Weir, Jayden Fairley, Murray Aiken, Robbie Hamilton, Josh Currie, Connor Young Ethan Laidlaw, Josh O’Connor.

Subs: Innes Lawson, Jack Furness, Freddie Wylie, Brodie Watt, Ben Reilly, Gregor Fordyce, Josh Blair.

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