Darren McGregor’s youngsters secured the CAS Elite Under-18 League title with a dominant 4-0 away victory over Kilmarnock on Friday evening.
Hibs took the lead in the fourth minute through a magnificent 25-yard strike from Jamie McMurdo that left Kilmarnock keeper Craig Campbell stranded in the centre of his goal.
The youngsters doubled their lead in the 20th minute when Josh McDonald’s corner evaded everyone curled in at the back post.
Thirteen minutes later with the hosts committed men forward, Logan Jimenez spearheaded a lightning-quick counter and effortlessly squared the ball to Dean Cleland, who stabbed the ball home into an empty net.
That was the last of the scoring in the first half and the visitors took a 3-0 lead into the changing room.
Six minutes after the restart, Jimenez and Cleland broke through Killie’s high line to recreate a carbon copy of their earlier goal, stretching Hibs lead to an unassailable four goals.
With 25 to play, centre-back Lewis Gillie came very close to finding a fifth as his glancing header from a near-post corner delivery whistled past the back post.
Jimenez would tee up his strike partner for a third time with 15 minutes remaining, though a fine stop from outstretched leg of Killie keeper Campbell denied Cleland his hat-trick.
Hibs comfortably saw out the remainder of match to seal the league title, as well as confirm their involvement in the 2025/26 UEFA Youth League next season, with one match remaining.
Hibs XI: Mallon, Whittaker (Sporran), Calder, Gillie, McGrath, Bruce, Cleland, Buckley (McNeill), Jimenez (Macdonald), McDonald, McMurdo (Davidson).
Unused Substitute: Vautherin.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
