Crumlin Star bidding for back-to-back titles with Immaculata keen to bring the trophy back to Divis

McComb's Coach Travel Intermediate Cup final
Crumlin Star v Immaculata (Windsor Park, Tuesday, 7.45pm)
 
FOR the second year in succession, it’s a meeting of teams from the north and west of the city in the Intermediate Cup final.

Tuesday’s meeting at Windsor Park (7.45pm) between holders, Crumlin Star and Immaculata is an intriguing one as they have met in a number of competitions over the course of the season with the Ardoyne outfit getting the better of it, winning 3-0 away from home in the Irish Cup and then in a league fixture a fortnight back, while the reverse fixture ended in a draw late last year.

Remarkably, Star are going to a third title in five years in a competition that is supposed to be the preserve of teams from a higher level.

However, it proves the quality and consistency in their ranks that they get to this stage of the season with a number of league games in hand having gone deep in the cups as they aim for silverware across the board.

To advance into this final they have also had to do it the hard way, coming from behind twice against Queen’s University to win 3-2 despite having Niall Hawkins sent off midway through the first half.

“This will be three in five years and for an Amateur League club, it’s a very good what the lads have done over the last lot of years,” said Star manager, Paul Trainor.

“We’ve got the final part of the season now, a couple of big games coming up in the league to close the gap on East (Belfast).

“They have been there on a regular basis, been in the Steel Cup final and other finals over the years.

“But there is a lot of experienced boys in the Immaculata team and it will be a totally different game (than the league fixture) in the final.

“We’re getting to the latter stages of these cup competitions but it’s the way we are. We’re well used to it, but we have a couple of boys who are older and we are going to have to rest them.”

That most recent meeting at Grosvenor was as dominant a 3-0 win as is likely as Star really could have at least doubled their tally.

But then they were the team desperate for the league points with Mac effectively out of the race for NAFL honours and Trainor knows his side will have a much tougher task next week.

“This won’t be a reflection on the final,” he insists.

“Brian (McCaul, Immaculata manager) will get his team together and I’ll be expecting a hell of a test on the night.”

That was also the vibe coming from the Immaculata camp after that game with McCaul naturally disappointed with how it played out, but far from despondent.

The Division side have had a relatively good season as they are beginning to get right back in the mix for silverware after a number of seasons where they dipped.

Any hopes of winning the league have gone for this year but that will be a target in the future and even though they were well beaten by Star a fortnight back in windy conditions, McCaul is predicting a much closer affair on Tuesday.

“We just played it as a normal game,” he said of the 3-0 defeat.

“Even if we won, we can go in two weeks and think ‘ah we were overconfident’ - they are two separate games.

“The wind was a nightmare in the second half when we were trying to play football, but it just wasn’t our day.

“They were squeezing up and pressing us, but it’s two separate situations. Yeah, we were disappointed to lose, but it has no impact on the 30th.”

The Mac were equally impressive in their semi-final win, hitting three quick goals to overcome Ballymacash Rangers 3-1 and player-manager McCaul was first to set them on their way from the penalty spot.

Getting to this final is a major step forward for the West Belfast men but now they are three, they want to win  and not just empty a mentality of happy to have a big night out at Windsor.
Star represent a major challenge as they have the knowhow when it comes to these finals and are well accustomed to playing in the stadium, but McCaul feels his players will be right up for the challenge ahead.

“You want to get there, but then when you do, you want to win,” he agreed.

“A final is only good if you can win it. There’s disappointment if you go there and it’s not your night and we will address how to mange those expectations.

“We’ve beaten Star plenty of times when I was playing, but it goes back and forth. Maybe now they have the edge but it’s not as though we’re not capable.

“We are out of the league (race) and have been for a while, so our sole focus has been on the Intermediate.

“They have a bit more to play or and it showed, but our focus is on the 30th. We’ll look forward to that and give it a really good bash.”