Dungannon kids eyeing up silverware

DUNGANNON Swifts are renowned for their excellent youth policy and anyone attending Boxing Day’s Bob Radcliffe Cup final at Stangmore Park (11am) will see the next generation from the production line.

While Dungannon Swifts will bring promising youngsters to the party, Rathfriland Rangers will call upon a host of players with Irish League experience.

That young blood v wise old heads match-up is one of the reasons why this year’s decider is so eagerly awaited.

Head of development at Dungannon Swifts Dixie Robinson says: “It should be a really good game. Our youngsters have a lot of ability and real potential but Rathfriland are a very good side with bags of experience.

“Both teams try and play good football and hopefully it will live up to expectation.”

The last time a Dungannon side won the trophy, Northern Ireland international Niall McGinn was in their team back in the 2005/2006 season.

With players such as ex-Glentoran ace Andy Kilmartin, Rathfriland will begin as favourites, but if the Swifts grab a foothold in the game early on and take confidence from that, it should be a cracking contest.

The Bob Radcliffe Cup decider is not the only Christmas final that Rathfriland are involved in as they also have the Border Regiment Cup showpiece to savour versus Ballynahinch Olympic at Seaview on New Year’s Day.

Should the Boxing Day clash with Dungannon’s youngsters go to penalties, Rangers will certainly fancy themselves because in the Border Cup semi-final against East Belfast they won 3-0 on spot-kicks, after a 2-2 draw, with Johnny Parr saving everything in the shoot-out.

MOYOLA Park boss Mervyn Pattison set his sights on BetMcLean Craig Memorial Cup success earlier in the season.

On Boxing Day he will hit the bullseye if his players deliver victory against Portstewart in the final at Fortwilliam Park in Tobermore.

It’s a tough one to call. Portstewart defeated Moyola in the league recently but last season the outcome was reversed.

What is clear is that it will be an intriguing encounter between two sides and managers who have respect for each other.

“We targeted the Craig Memorial as a competition we really want to win,” says the determined Pattison.

“Much like the Steel and Sons Cup and Bob Radcliffe Cup it is an important competition for the teams who compete in it.”

If the tournament, run by the North West Football Association, means much to Moyola, it is just as important to Thursday’s opponents.

Almost two months ago, Portstewart

were suffering financial difficulties and there were fears the club would have to fold.

Since then money has been raised thanks to the efforts of the hard working committee, with plans to increase funds in the new year.

For manager Johnny Law, victory, after a roller coaster 2019, would also provide tangible evidence of the job he is doing since leaving his coaching job at Coleraine in the summer of last year.

“I thought it was time to go out and manage, and I’m glad I did it with Portstewart, even though there have been challenging times,” said Law.

“The hardest thing for me leaving Coleraine was telling Oran Kearney because I learnt so much working with him.”