McComb's Intermediate Cup final
Crumlin Star 3-2 St Oliver Plunkett FC
STEPHEN Smyth was the hero for Crumlin Star as he opened the scoring and more importantly, struck the winner to help the Ardoyne side to victory over St Oliver Plunkett in Tuesday's Intermediate Cup final at Windsor Park.
A crowd of 2318 was in attendance for what turned into a gripping contest with Plunkett recovering from a nightmare start to get back into the game and then on terms in the second period, but Smyth was the match-winner for Star.
The North Belfast side, who ply their trade in the NAFL Premier Division, were favourites considering the West Belfast side operates two divisions below in 1B and that status seemed to have been accurate as they flew out of the blocks and were two up in 11 minutes.
But credit to the Lenadoon side as they managed to get a foothold and really ought to have pulled a goal back before the break, yet powered on in the second period with a spirited showing and were right back in it, only to be undone seven minutes after getting themselves level.
In the end, Star had that little bit of extra quality and know-how on such a big stage and for team captain Barry McKervey, who revealed this will be his last season with the club, it was a perfect way to begin the final few laps of his career.
"It's unbelievable," he said.
"I'm finished at the end of this year so it's a great way to go out. I'm absolutely over the moon.
"The boys deserved it, worked hard all year and have got their rewards. We've a never-say-die attitude. We weren't great but we got the job done. We never know when we're beat so it's all good.
"This is a nice boost going into the rest of the league."
Stephen Smyth wheels away after netting what proved to be the winner
Star, who won the competition in 2019, were much quicker to settle and perhaps that wasn't unexpected as the West Belfast side looked a little jittery.
The Ardoyne side took full advantage as on three minutes, James Doyle did well to put Joe McNeill away on the right of goal. He played inside with Kevin Lynch having a shot that fell to Stephen Smyth who was there to poke home.
They almost doubled their advantage two minutes later when Plunkett goalkeeper Deaglan McMahon failed to hold an Aidan McNeill cross and the loose ball dropped to McKervey whose shot was blocked, while Lynch's follow-up back-heel was just off target.
Star were looking menacing each time they got on the front foot with their space and sharpness causing Plunkett problems and that second goal would come on 11 minutes when McKervey swung in a free-kick from the left that was met by the head of Lynch who thundered home to make it 2-0.
There was a real threat this game could completely get away from Plunkett who just had failed to settle with slack passed not helping their cause and on 14 minutes, goalkeeper McMahon was cautioned for taking down Doyle just outside the box with Star appealing for a different colour.
A McKervey corner caused issues again in the Plunkett box with Niall Hawkins just unable to get his header on target, while two minutes later, Lynch had a curling effort wide.
It was looking bleak for the Lenadoon club, but gradually they began to find their feet and were enjoying a little more possession even if their final ball just wasn't there.
Conall Duffy let fly from outside the box but the head of Mark Lyons blocked it, yet the chances would then finally begin to arrive towards the end of the half.
On 38 minutes, a good turn from Padraig McParlandd on the left of goal saw him clip a ball into the area with Michael Mervyn getting an effort away on the angle that flashed over and two minutes later, a teasing ball to the near post from a McParland free-kick was glanced over by Sean Jackson.
However, the best opportunity of the lot came four minutes from the break as Stephen O'Neill kid well to intercept and put McParland away on the left. He played an inviting ball to the back post where Mervyn was lurking but seemed in two minds whether to control and strike or go first-time, the result being neither as the ball came off him and past the post from just yards out with the net at his mercy.
Plunkett had failed to make the most of their spell as Star retained their 2-0 advantage at the break, but there were signs this final wasn't over yet.
Those suspicions were confirmed two minutes into the second period as a free-kick was floated into the Star area with Eugene Reid's initial effort breaking out to Michael Healy who met it superbly and beat Ciaran McNeill at the near post to give his team real hope.
Michael Healy pulls one back for Plunkett
Star responded well and were back on the front foot as they appeared to take the sting out of Plunkett's revival and it took some good defending from the West Belfast men to prevent the goal from being cancelled out.
They did have a chance of their own when McParland was played on the left, but failed to get enough on it to trouble McNeill, while at the other end, Niall Hawkins saw a long-range effort clear the bar.
Star were looking more likely with Stephen Smyth having a shot blocked out for a corner and then soon after, a corner to the back post from Smyth was met by James Doyle but he could only find the side netting.
But soon after, on 69 minutes, this final was level as Jody Lynch swung in a corner from the right that was flicked on by Michael McCusker and Eugene Reid slid in at the back post to finish.
Plunkett now had their tails up, but momentum would swing back the other way as McMahon had to deal with a half-blocked shot that took a wicked bounce and bounced off the angle of the bar and post.
But the Plunkett goalkeeper could do nothing on 76 minutes as good work on the right wing from Conor McLaughlin saw him play inside to Smyth who steadied and curled home a beauty past the stranded McParland to restore Star's lead at 3-2 - a goal worthy of winning any game.
Having invested so much into getting on terms the first time, could Plunkett raise it again? The answer was no as while they probed and pushed, they didn't manage to work McNeill in the Star goal with the Ardoyne men defending well to prevent any further big chances and they did so.
Plunkett threw everyone forward in stoppage time, but couldn't engineer an opportunity to force extra-time as Crumlin Star regained the trophy after their last success four years ago.
👏 @CrumlinStarFC 🏆 pic.twitter.com/6uRC0nxOKY
— Irish FA (@IrishFA) April 25, 2023
"I think we made the mountain too high to climb for ourselves in the end," said Plunkett's joint-manager Liam Burns.
"Crumlin Star have done it year after year and that's where we aspire to be. We're at that level, but just gave them a head start of two goals and that was the worst start you could have imagined.
"We believed in the boys as we know how good they are, but they didn't give a good reflection of themselves in the first half. The second half we had them riled up and ready to come out and battle to show what they are capable of. They did do that, but I'm just gutted for the boys as they are a hard-working bunch and couldn't ask for better."
CRUMLIN STAR: C McNeill, B O'Neill, A McNeill, N Hawkins, M Lyons, J McNeill, S Smyth (S McBurney 81), K Trainor, K Lynch, J Doyle, B McKervey (C McLaughlin, 67)
Goals: S Smyth 3, 76; K Lynch 11
SOPFC: D McMahon, M Mervyn, M Healy, E Reid, J Lynch (M Sloan 73), C Duffy, S Jackson, P McParland (B Carroll 86), C Nolan (M Webb 73), M McCusker (D Healy 81), S O'Neill (G Dunlop 86)
Goals: M Healy 47; E Reid 69
REFEREE: Stewart Long
