Samuel Gelston’s Whiskey Irish Cup Final: Crusaders 2 Ballymena United 1
CRUSADERS manager Stephen Baxter admitted ‘there will never be another Declan Caddell’ as the veteran midfield ended his football career by popping the champagne following his team’s dramatic Samuel Gelston’s Whiskey Irish Cup win at colourful Windsor Park on Saturday.
After almost two decades in the red and black shirt, Caddell ended it how it all started – by lifting the game’s top knockout prize – which also punched the North Belfast team’s ticket to European football next season.
But they certainly don’t do things easy. Gutsy Ballymena United were manfully clinging on to Robbie Weir’s early own goal when the fourth official indicated there were would be four minutes of injury time to be played.
Three of those had elapsed when Paul Heatley whipped over a corner kick from the left, which was headed on by goalkeeper Jonny Tuffey for substitute Josh Robinson nudge home at the back post.
David Jeffrey’s Sky Blues were deflated, but they did pick themselves off the floor for an extra 30 minutes. Penalties looked the likely outcome when Heatley’s free kick was cleared to Johnny McMurray on the edge of the box and he promptly buried his shot in the bottom corner.
Caddell’s dream had become a reality. He wanted to go out on a high. He got his wish, much to the delight of his manager.
“We will never see the like of him again,” said Baxter. “He has given 20 years’ service to our football club; he came in as a raw teenager.
“By his own admission, he’ll admit he’s not a great footballer as regards of how he passes it (the ball) and all that sort of stuff. He wouldn’t have the qualities of a Ben Kennedy. But what Declan Caddell has, is the heart of a lion.
“He has the work rate of three men... he wins battles. He was the first name on my team sheet for 10 full years. He out worked and out ran everyone in training, he is an amazing person.
“I can’t speak highly enough of him. It’s a sad loss to lose Declan I think there is another year left in him. But the job of director of football for youth has come at this time for him and I appreciate that. I wish him well, it’s great for him. We love him to bits.
“We now need to find the next Declan Caddell, which will be an easy thing to do.”
If the bubbly was flowing in one dressing room, just a few yards down the corridor the silence was deafening . United were still trying to come to terms with how cruel football can be.
Baxter and United chief David Jeffrey had a long embrace on the touchline on the final blast of Tony Clarke’s whistle.
“David and I go back a long way,” he added. “He is three years older than me. He was a superstar when I first met him when he came back from Manchester United.
“I was a bit in awe of him, I suppose. I played against him for Ards when I got my break in Irish League football, he was a Linfield.
“When I joined the Blues, he kicked me up and down Midgley Park and repeatedly told me to ‘toughen up’.
“We formed a lifelong friendship as players and off the pitch with our families. We have socialised together and we have been on some marvellous trips all through the years.
“I knew how this would all work. We said we would have a moment straight after the game, no matter how the game went.
BALLYMENA UNITED: Williamson, Redman, Kelly (Henderson 82), Waide (Place 90), McCullough, Barr (McElroy 71), McGrory, Parkhouse (Kane 77), Keeley (Loughran 77), Millar, Graham.
Unused subs: Johnston, Smith.
CRUSADERS: Tuffey, Burns (Doyle 89), Weir (Robinson 46), Lowry (Owens 81), Kennedy, Lecky (Caddell 68), Forsythe, O’Rourke, Larmour (Wilson 110), Heatley, Clarke (McMurray 68).
Unused subs: Hegarty.
REFEREE: Tony Clarke.
