It proved one step too far in the end for Portadown in the BetMcLean Cup, but they certainly didn’t disgrace themselves under the spotlight on Sunday.
The Ports, who eliminated three Premiership outfits en route to the decider, weren’t able to take down a fourth on trophy day as Linfield ran out 3-1 victors in the Final at Windsor Park.
Having knocked out Crusaders, Loughgall and Glenavon in the Round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively to seal their big date with the Blues, the Playr-Fit Championship’s fourth-placed side netted 15 minutes from time through Eamon Fyfe and set up a rousing finale as they threatened a comeback, but David Healy’s Blues managed the remainder of the contest professionally to clinch the cup.
Niall Currie had previously guided second-tier Ards to the Final eight years previously, when they fell to Crusaders 3-0 – but decisively, despite the defeat, promotion to the Premiership followed for the Red and Blues at the end of that campaign.
Portadown native Currie has the same target with his home town club in 2024, and there’s no question it’s been the four-time Irish League champions’ principal aim all season long.
The Co Armagh establishment, boasting nearly 140 years of heritage and archive to their name, have enjoyed some tremendous runs in the cups this term.
They won the Mid-Ulster Cup Final, reached the quarter-finals of the Irish Cup and, of course, made an unforgettable day out of their appearance in the BetMcLean decider.
Starting off with victory over Playr-Fit Premier Intermediate League returnees Coagh United at Shamrock Park in the Round of 32, their hat-trick of knock-out blows dealt to Premiership opponents – 2-1 against Crusaders, 2-0 over Loughgall and 1-0 at eternal rivals Glenavon – shot Currie’s charges all the way to Windsor and a memorable occasion in front of a 9,000-plus-strong crowd.
Linfield ultimately seized Sunday afternoon by the scruff of the net, retaining the bowl-shaped silverware through Ben Hall and Rhys Annett finishes either side of Luke Wilson’s unfortunate own goal just before half-time.
The south Belfast giant lived up to their widely billed favourites tag pre-match, yet it might even have been that had Portadown won it, Monday would’ve been straight to business once more.
Currie would’ve still taken in the previous day’s Championship results with interest. Dundela, who won’t be going up but are still going all out to win the league, were beaten 3-1 in an enthralling East Belfast Derby at Harland and Wolff Welders that saw Duns talisman Andy Hall sky a late penalty and visiting charges Ewan Kelly and Jordan Jenkins receive red cards.
Bangor and Institute capitalised. The former were 4-0 winners away to Ballinamallard United in Co Fermanagh, while the latter wrapped up a 3-0 success against basement dwellers Knockbreda to each widen the gap to their illustrious rivals.
With a match in hand, the Ports are three points behind Kevin Deery’s ‘Stute in third, five off Lee Feeney’s Seasiders in second and seven off the summit.
Some telling games between Portadown and Institute on March 16, the Ports and Bangor on March 22 and Bangor and ‘Stute on March 27 before the split are set to make a big impact.
In pre-season, it was the red-shirted outfit who, with a vast arsenal of talent at their disposal including Fyfe, Ryan Mayse and Paul McElroy at the sharp end, were tipped as all-too-natural favourites to bounce back up following their Premiership drop-out as the bottom side in 2023.
They added further weapons in Zach Barr, Jamie Browne, TJ Murray, Jack Henderson and Ciaran Dobbin to further boost their prospects of a step-up in January, and there’s no argument that their amalgamation of talent is good enough to get them where they want to be.
It’s been anything but a formality, though, such is the anyone-can-beat-anyone nature of the Championship that has become its mantra. But Currie is insistent that the top-tier is Portadown’s natural resting place.
You’d struggle to disagree with him considering the Ports’ long and highly illustrious history.
“The bottom line is, the Championship is a fantastic league, it is so competitive, but there is no substitute for coming to Windsor Park, the Oval, Ballymena, Coleraine or Mourneview,” Currie said.
“In my eyes, that’s where I want to be; that’s where the club needs to be. That’s where we have to go.”
The manager is in no doubt as to precisely what needs to be done for this season to be ranked as successful in Portadown’s books, but he’ll also know that having got Ards and Carrick up in the past, promotion is a right that must be earned.
As far as all of a Ports persuasion is concerned, their priority’s now to click into gear and storm back into the big time.
Featured image from INPHO/Brian Little.
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