Toals Bookmakers Co Antrim Steel & Sons Cup final: Crumlin Star 2 Comber Rec 3 (after extra-time)
AS the triumphant Comber Rec players raced towards their jubilant supporters in the Seaview stands with the coveted Steel & Sons Cup in their grasp, manager Gareth McKeown said the Christmas Day final was a “mind-blowing” experience.
Trailing 1-0 to Crumlin Star, who were chasing their first Steel Cup win, Comber finally broke down the door to equalise late in the game through danger man Dylan Wilson to force this compelling decider into extra-time.
A further three goals followed in the two 10-minutes periods with Elliot Wilson - brother of Dylan - firing Comber ahead when the ball fell invitingly to the striker from a corner in the first period of extra-time.
Aidan McNeill equalised with a wicked free-kick moments later – but hero of the hour and Comber Rec captain Simon Hanna grabbed the winning goal in the second period of extra-time, tapping into an empty net after a defensive mix-up in the ‘Star defence.
And with Hanna’s side-footed finish, justice was served as Comber Rec celebrated only their second-ever Steel Cup triumph, the first coming in 1991.
With a Border Cup final ahead of them against Willowbank on New Year’s Day, McKeown said: “It’s mind-blowing. This means the world to Comber. This is one of the biggest achievements in Amateur League football so we’re over the moon. It still hasn’t sunk in. It feels as if I played the match!”
The former Crusaders defender, now in his fourth season as Comber manager, added: “These boys are all mates on and off the pitch. That’s what matters. Coaches, everybody, we win and lose together. They’re great guys.”
Played in front of a bumper crowd at the Shore Road venue, Comber didn’t turn up in the opening half and were fortunate to only trail by one goal at the break.
Brilliantly organised at the back by captain Niall Hawkins – Crumlin Star played some brilliant football in the first half and looked as though they’d win their first Steel final at a canter.
Striker David Fearon was the best player on the pitch in the opening 45 minutes and was unlucky not to score with a couple of efforts for ‘Star – but he set up Stephen Smyth to break the deadlock as half-time approached.
The interval was the best thing that happened to Comber and the worst thing for Crumlin Star.
Comber regrouped, made a couple of half-time changes and began turning the screw with Hanna and Kristopher Gaw dominating midfield.
They hit the woodwork twice as they lay siege to ‘Star’s goal, and eventually levelled through Dylan Wilson. Comber were as dominant in the second half and the two periods of extra-time as Crumlin Star were in the opening 45 minutes.
“Crumlin Star are a great side, there’s no doubt about it,” said McKeown. “They’re hard to break down, they’ve experience, but I just thought their energy levels slipped a bit and we kicked on.”
Star’s chances of reaching the holy grail weren’t helped by having to make three enforced changes to their back four throughout Monday’s decider, while Comber were spurred on by the personnel changes they made – Brandon Nelson and Matthew Gibson shifting momentum.
“I had to have words with the players at half-time,” McKeown said.
“We made two changes and, to be fair, they worked. The two subs that came on changed the game. These things happen. You can’t play well every week and unfortunately two players had to come off.”
Simon Hanna was voted man-of-the-match – not just for scoring the winning goal, but during Crumlin Star’s ascendency in the first half, the Comber captain displayed stout resistance.
“Simon is phenomenal,” McKeown said. “The guy doesn’t know how good he is – but we know how good he is. He’s always there or thereabouts. He’s an eight-out-of-10 every week.”
With a Border Cup final at the same venue beckoning Comber on New Year’s Day, McKeown added: “We take things in our stride and we’ll worry about the Border Cup final on Wednesday.”
Crumlin Star: C McNeill, B O’Neill (K Trainor 53), A McNeill, N Hawkins, A Lillis (S McBurney (72) J McNeill, N Halfpenny, C McLaughlin, K Lynch, D Fearon, S Smyth (J Doyle 60)
Comber Rec: C Pollock, C Gillan (M Gibson 48), L Walker, S Moore (Stuart Hanna 93), R Whittle, K Gaw, D Wilson, S Hanna, B Conville, H Grierson (B Nelson h/t), E Wilson
Referee: A Woodside
