NAFL Clarence Cup final
Crumlin Star 1-0 Comber Rec

DOMHNALL Cosgrove netted the only goal of the game as Crumlin Star banked a second piece of silverware for the season, defeating Comber Rec in the Clarence Cup final at Seaview.

It was a bit of a revenge mission for the Ardoyne outfit, who lost to the same opposition at the same venue during December's Border Cup final, but this time it would be their night as they added this trophy to the Intermediate Cup they picked up at Windsor Park in April.

These sides have been close rivals throughout the season and it doesn't end here as they meet again in a crunch league clash on Saturday that will have a major bearing on the destination of the NAFL Premier Division title.

Star, who slipped up at the weekend, will head to Comber with renewed confidence after this win and it was one they certainly deserved, having defended stoutly and looked the more dangerous when on the front foot

"This isn't the biggest prize this season, but it's another trophy," said a satisfied Crumlin Star manager, Paul Trainor.

"The boys defended really well and we looked a danger on the bounce. That's us back to winning ways and two trophies we've lifted this season, so we'll get the boys prepared for Saturday now because it's winner takes all."

The Ardoyne men had the first sight of goal after four minutes when Nathan Watters tried his luck from outside the box and his well-struck effort wasn't far away.

Comber were settling as they probed and Brett Conville almost profited from a little bit of indecision in the Star box, but his flick on lacked any power to beat the defenders.

Dylan Wilson - the match-winner for Comber in that Border Cup final over Christmas - then made a fine run in from the right, but his effort lacked the power to really trouble Ciaran McNeill.

Gradually, Star began to come into it and enjoyed a bit of pressure that began when Mark Lyons pulled back for Domhnall Cosgrove's shot to be deflected out for a corner.

Comber just couldn't clear their lines and it took goalkeeper Corey Pollock to come and gather from another corner.

That initial move was something of a prelude to the only goal of the game as a Stephen Smyth corner was nodded out to Christopher Campbell, who weaved into the box and pulled back for Cosgrove to finish at the near post.

Comber pushed for a leveller before the break, but didn't overly work McNeill in the Star goal aside from a Simon Hanna free-kick from a decent position that was an easy gather for the goalkeeper as the North Belfast men went in at the break with the one-goal advantage. 

Both had a foray into each other's half early into the second period when Comber's Dylan Wilson was shown yellow for a heavy high-foot challenge on Aidan Lillis and he was fortunate it wasn't more as Lillis was unable to continue.

Still, Star were on the front foot in that opening phase of the second period when the onus was on Comber to get back into it and they did begin to get up the pitch with a Lex Walker cross nodded back out to Matthew Gibson but he was unable to get any direction on his shot.

They rang the changes with Brandon Nelson and Elliott Wilson intoduced in a double switch for the final half hour as they were forced to try something different and they seemed to offer more of a threat with Star now forced to defend, but the end product was still missing for Comber as Wilson had an effort that was high and not so handsome. 

Joe McNeill gets up to win a header
2Gallery

Joe McNeill gets up to win a header

This helped relieve the pressure on the North Belfast men who were able to get back out again and exert a little pressure of their own and with 20 to go, a cross into the box broke back out to Joe McNeill whose shot from the edge of the box hit the crossbar with substitute David Fearon unable to turn the rebound home as he stooped low with his head and could only guide it into the grateful arms of Pollock. 

It kept Comber in this final and they set about exerting the pressure in the final 15 minutes, but again accuracy would let them down as Simon Hanna screwed wide with a decent opportunity. 

Comber were now just seeking to get the ball into the box and Wilson met one cross with his head in the 88th minute, but lacked any venom to trouble the Star goalkeeper.

Stuart Moore then picked up a second yellow for a trip on Kevin Lynch who was away on goal as we entered six minutes of added time and Lynch would try his luck with the subsequent move, but shot past the near post.

Comber again fired some long balls into the box in the dying minutes in an effort to salvage the situation, but Star held firm to claim the trophy as they now set their sights on the league meeting between the teams in Park Way on Saturday.

CRUMLIN STAR: C McNeill, N Watters, S McBurney, N Hawkins, M Devine, J McNeill, A Lillis (K Trainor 52), M Lyons, D Cosgrove, S Smyth (D Fearon 67), C Campbell (K Lynch 77).
Goal: D Cosgrove 38

COMBER REC: C Pollock, S Fleck (B Nelson 57), L Walker, S Moore, C Irvine, K Gaw (M Tumilson 31), D Wilson, S Hanna, B Conville, M Gibson, D Donaldson (E Wilson 57)

REFEREE: Mervyn Smyth