BETMCLEAN CUP

Davy puts wonder-strike up with Becks & Roo

BEAMING Ballymena United boss David Jeffrey insists Cathair Friel can take pride of place alongside Manchester United greats David Beckham and Wayne Rooney.

The striker may not be in the same wage bracket as the two former England stars but his goal against Cliftonville in Saturday’s Betmclean League Cup semi-final at Warden Street Showgrounds was equal to anything they produced in the past.

It was an absorbing cup tie – one that had been postponed on three previous occasions because of the weather.

But goals from Leroy

Millar and Tony Kane looked to have punched

United’s ticket to next Saturday’s final at

Windsor Park against Dungannon Swifts.

Jude Winchester however struck late on to throw the Reds an unexpected lifeline.

In a dramatic finish, with Barry Gray’s boys looking to level matters,

Friel struck a goal of the season contender from all of 65 yards, which prompted Jeffrey to claim it was “even better than any of Beckham or Rooney’s long range stunners”.

“When you look where Cathair was, he was well inside his own half,” said the United boss. “The legs were pulled out of him on an energy sapping surface but what a strike it was.

“People can talk about the long range goals from Beckham and Rooney but I’m telling you, Cathair’s goal was right up there. It was a fabulous way to end the match and send us into the final.”

Jeffrey now wants his boys to go and finish the job – retain the trophy they lifted for the first time in the club’s history by beating Carrick Rangers last season in the final.

Jeffrey added: “I put it to the boys before the game. I pointed out we’re the cup holders and I asked them could they do it again?

“I’m so pleased for everyone at the club, the chairman, the board and the supporters. I suppose no one would have predicted at the start of the season that it would be a Ballymena versus Dungannon final but that’s football.”

The goals all came in a frantic second half. Millar pounced to put United ahead after Brian Neeson had pawed out a low drive from Kane, the ball holding up in the muddy goalmouth.

Midfielder Kane then looked to have settled the home nerves when he headed the second.

With the clock ticking down, the Reds pulled one back when Joe Gormley’s shot was beaten out by Ross Glendinning only for Winchester to follow up and squeeze the ball over the line.

In a nail-biting finish, Friel produced his moment of magic.

Neeson joined his team-mates at the other end in a final bid to salvage the game and was still trying to track back when Friel lofted a 65-yard shot that bounced before crossing the line.

Reds boss Barry Gray admitted his boys gave themselves too much to do when they conceded a second goal.

“We kicked in far too late. This team has the knack of picking everyone up like they did last week and then falling flat on their face the following Saturday.”