The second of the Irish League’s three senior cup Finals is now upon us – the one that has, in recent years, attracted the biggest crowd of the lot.
The NI Football League’s bold call to make the BetMcLean Cup decider a Sunday special, a day of the week when Irish League football has very sparingly been hosted on, has proved as intelligent as any made by the governing bodies here, working to huge success in 2022 when over 11,000 people flocked to Windsor Park for the showdown between Cliftonville and Coleraine before attracting a similar crowd the following year when the Bannsiders faced Linfield.
It’s 2024 and the Blues are defending their crown, clinched after David Healy’s men prevailed 2-0 12 months ago thanks to second-half strikes by Joel Cooper and Chris Shields – the latter from the penalty spot.
Their opposition this time, however, is such that they are billed favourites to the extent that if they were to lose, it would arguably rank as the greatest shock in the competition’s history.
Even rival boss Niall Currie admitted that it was a “massive underdog situation” for Portadown after their Irish Cup quarter-final elimination at the hands of Cliftonville last week.
“We need to be perfect, absolutely perfect against the Blues. We need to be absolutely on top of everything, but perfect defensively,” he added.
There’s no disguising it; the expectation is that the Premiership big hitters prevail over the Championship hopefuls, but it would be a disservice to write off the second-tier competitor, no less than when you look at who they’ve beaten to reach the big Belfast showpiece.
Capital high flyers Crusaders (2-1), Co Armagh neighbours Loughgall (2-0) and archrivals Glenavon (1-0) – all from the league above – each fell by their sword during the last-16, quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively.
Further boosted by the momentum and desire of wanting an immediate return to top-flight football having been relegated from the Premiership in 2023, one final scalp on their way to a first piece of senior-status cup glory in 14 years can spur the Ports on as they sit third-place in their league, two points off the promotion play-off position and seven from the summit.
That gap may increase while their Championship rivals are all in action – leaders Dundela, second-placed Bangor and Institute, who they are only split from on goal difference, are their rivals-in-chief in the race to win the division – but Currie won’t let outside results distract his side while they prepare for their big day out.
No less than that Linfield, a trophy-winning juggernaut who’ve won 56 league titles and 44 Irish Cups, are second-placed in the Premiership and the best team they’ll face on this run.
Portadown perhaps would have preferred to play the distinguished south Belfast outfit a few weeks ago when they were reeling from a three-game winless blip that leaves them chasing Larne at the summit, but Healy has inspired his men back to winning ways and they enter Sunday’s jostle with a fresh three-game win streak under their belts.
They found themselves somewhat in the eye of the storm last weekend when the Irish FA dished out a three-game ban on home fans at Windsor Park – the first a partial closure on March 16 against Newry City followed by two full suspensions in the post-split – due to repeated crowd misconduct, and they subsequently banned ultras group ‘Blue Unity’ from games home and away owing to their principal role in the disorder according to the club.
“Various representatives from the club have engaged with this group since its formation and sought to guide them in terms of acceptable behaviours which can benefit the team and the club,” Linfield said in a strongly worded statement released on their website last Saturday.
“No-one can say, however, that repeat criminality, the use of illegal pyrotechnics, and foul discriminatory chants and songs are in any way positive or encouraging.
“Those who seem to be advising this group and writing their statements for them might do well to bear that in mind. This is neither supporting the team nor “the regime”.
“Blue Unity are not welcome at Windsor Park or at any away games.
“They do not represent Linfield Football Club and our proud traditions of sportsmanship and fair play. We will no longer attempt to engage with them on any basis.”
It didn’t rub off on the players when they took the field, however.
Last Sunday, they despatched Institute in consummately professional fashion; three goals to the good before the hour through Ethan McGee, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Kirk Millar at the Brandywell, the late consolation bagged by Shane McGinty only dashed the clean sheet as they confirmed their place in the Irish Cup semi-finals.
They’ll face Big Two rivals Glentoran at The BetMcLean Oval in that tournament, hoping that the trophy from the NIFL-sanctioned competition sponsored by the popular local bookmaker is in the bag already going into that mouthwatering duel.
In the Blues’ push for a repeat of 2023’s triumph, they’ve been made to work for it.
Having recovered from a shock early deficit to defeat Queen’s University 3-1 at home, they then recorded away successes over their top-four rivals Glentoran (2-1) and Larne (2-2 – won on penalties) before emerging from a hard-fought encounter with Dungannon Swifts at Stangmore Park with the Final say courtesy of a brace by Kyle McClean on the road, with Joe Moore striking late to make it a nervy finale in the 2-1 win.
That semi-final was played concurrently with the Mid-Ulster Derby meeting of Glenavon and Portadown at the Lurgan Blues’ Mourneview Park home, where Ryan Mayse’s penalty before the half-hour mark was the only separator come the end of a display where the away team enjoyed the upper hand for the majority.
Despite four of their six winter arrivals having been cup-tied – big striker Zach Barr, who won the spot-kick, was the only one signed to that point who wasn’t – that didn’t dent the Ports’ belief and they were good value for their spot in the decider.
With livewire Eamon Fyfe, leader Gary Thompson, home town hero Luke Wilson, 2023 Irish Cup Finalists Kenny Kane, Ross Redman and Dougie Wilson and line-leader Paul McElroy, who has recently returned from a four-month injury layoff, also among the array of talent at Currie’s disposal, they were invincible in cup competitions right up until the 2-0 reversal to the Reds last Friday night.
Already with the Mid-Ulster Cup in the bag for this season after they sank Dungannon Swifts 5-2, the four-time Irish League champions from Shamrock Park are to be underestimated at one’s peril, despite 13 places splitting Sunday’s foes.
Currie, who led Ards to this decider as a second-tier side in 2016, won’t fear the occasion. He’s the type to relish them, never shirking from a challenge, and with a bumper crowd set to travel up the M1, the fans will arrive in number to will their charges on.
His players will be eager to seize the day, too. On days like these, it’s often best to expect the unexpected.
What is for sure is that NIFL’s marketing of the competition has brought new life to it and a sure spectacle is anticipated.
Here’s to a hotly contested Final and an afternoon to remember.
Featured image from Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press.
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