Toal’s Steel & Sons Cup final; Crumlin Star v Comber Rec
(Christmas Day, Seaview, 10.45am)

CRUMLIN STAR are no strangers to silverware as the Ardoyne side has banked almost everything they could realistically win between leagues and cups over the years.

However, the one that has eluded them is the Steel & Sons Cup and they now find themselves just 90 minutes away from ticking that box when they face Comber Rec in the final on Christmas morning at Seaview.

The sides are not strangers with Comber denying Star a place in the final of the Border Cup with a 2-0 victory in the semi-final, so Paul Trainor’s men will be forewarned as to what is expected this week.

Since that loss, they have put together a decent run with wins in the Irish Cup, Intermediate Cup and league including a 4-0 victory over Rosemount Rec at the weekend with Dee Fearon netting. hat-trick and Stephen Smyth also getting his name on the scoresheet.

That ought to leave them in a good place as they set about the Christmas Day decider as the look to avenge that earlier loss to the Down club.

“We only started to think about it over the weekend as we’ve been busy over the last couple of weeks,” said Trainor.

“We were beaten by Comber in the semi-final of the Border Cup there. We just didn’t arrive and too many players just didn’t play on the night, but we responded to that: beat Limavady in the Intermediate Cup, went away and beat East (Belfast) and then beat Rosemount on Saturday where we played some really good stuff.

“It’s disappointing we’re not in the other final (Border Cup) but we learnt from it and kicked on again.”

In contrast, Comber will head into he final off the back of a weekend defeat to East Belfast, but there have been a lot more victories than defeats for them this season and they will take confidence from that Border Cup semi-final win over Star in November.

The North Belfast side will know exactly what is required to turn that around this week so there will be little extra motivation required.

“They are a decent side, strong and fit,” Trainor acknowledges.

“We just didn’t arrive on the night but that’s not taking anything away from them. We’ll know what to expect and we won’t underperform the way we did in that semi-final.”

As for the team news, Crumlin Star look set to have a full hand to work with.

Ciaran McNeill missed the semi-final win over Derriaghy CC on penalties, but he is back in the mix for a place in the final.

“We’ve a few niggles after Saturday, but I wouldn’t imagine that will be holding any of the boys up,” Trainor confirmed.

“In fact, I have 21 or 22 to pick 16 from. It’s a headache as you don’t want to leave anyone out, but that’s just the way is and hopefully the 16 we pick will be enough to beat these boys on the day.”

There is something a little special about the Steel & Sons Cup given the Christmas final.

The trophy has been in the possession of Newington on a couple of occasions in recent times and their wins of 2017 and 2021 have acted as something of an inspiration to their neighbours from the north of the city.

For those Crumlin Star players who have been stalwarts of the team down through the years and have tasted plenty of success, claiming this trophy will represent a completion of the set and therefore be just that little more special with a big crowd of supporters expected to make the short trip to the Shore Road.

Christmas morning will be very different to what they have been used to over the years, but it is a nice problem to have and one that trainer and his players are relishing.

“We’ve got ever so close to it over the past four or five years,” he said of the trophy.

“We got into two semi-finals, one where we went 2-0 up against Linfield Swifts and they came back to beat us 3-2 in the second half and then another one where we lost on penalties to Sirrocco Works.

“This is the one I’ve always chased. The Intermediate Cup is probably the hardest one to win and we’ve done that twice, but there is just something about the Steel Cup on Christmas morning.

“All the family will be going and we’ll bring half of Ardoyne down to it. My wife, my son and daughter are all involved in the club, so we’re all looking forward to it and hopefully we can bring that trophy back up the road.

“We’d be used to playing on Boxing (St Stephen’s) Day or the day after with the Border Cup and we’ve won three or four of them over the last lot of years.

“It’s slightly different with it being Christmas Day now, but we’re glad to be there. We’ll train on the Saturday, pick the team on Christmas Eve before meeting early on Christmas Day with the early kick-off.

“We’ll all be up when the kids are opening their toys! But hopefully the rest of it looks after itself and can really enjoy the dinner after it!”