IRISH CUP FINAL: Sensational finish sees Crues oust Sky Blues to lift trophy
Ballymena United 1 Crusaders 2 (after extra-time)
Crusaders took the Irish Cup in the most dramatic of fashions at Windsor Park – and the word dramatic shouldn’t be underestimated.
They looked down and out with Ballymena winning 1-0 with 2 minutes of stoppage time to go and on their way to their first Irish Cup success since 1989
However, Crusaders showed such spirit – first to level through Josh Robinson’s back post finish to take the tie to extra-time.
Then when it looked for all the will in the world that penalties would ensue, up popped Jonny McMurray to pounce on a loose ball in the box and rifle home the winner deep into time added on at the end of extra-time.
It’s hard not to feel for a Ballymena side who were arguably better throughout the game. However, Crusaders deserve huge credit for their ability to keep going.
It was Ballymena who had the opening clear-cut chance of the match just 8 minutes in. Andy McGrory played a clever ball down the right hand side to find Sky Blues captain Leroy Millar in behind Daniel Larmour.
Millar tired to curl it past Crues keeper Jonny Tuffey, but Tuffey stuck out a leg to put it out for a corner.
But, from that corner, the Braidmen took the lead in somewhat unusual circumstances.
McGrory whipped in a low corner from the left. Robbie Weir got a touch as he attempted to clear it and Tuffey was unable to prevent it from crossing the line.
The Sky Blues looked comfortable in the opening half hour. They had settled the best, with Crusaders looking uncharacteristically nervous.
However, the Crues did have their first good chance on 27 minutes. A foul on Adam Lecky outside the box on the right gave Ben Kennedy the opportunity to have a go at goal. That he did, and his low curling drive was well beaten out for a corner by Ballymena keeper Jordan Williamson.
The North Belfast side went even closer on 33 minutes.
When Paul Heatley is bearing down on goal for Crusaders, you expect the net to bulge. But experienced defender Ross Redman showed a great turn of pace to get back and make a superb block.
From the resultant corner, Jordan Forsythe's goalbound shot was blocked by United goalscorer McGrory. The first then petered put slightly, with Ballymena happy to control the pace of the game.
They lifted that pace early after the restart though with two chances coming in the space of a few minutes.
Firstly, McGrory curled a free-kick just wide of the left hand post on 49, before Ryan Waide really should have doubled his side’s advantage three minutes later.
A great break from Josh Kelly saw him play Steven McCullough in down the left. But his low centre was turned over the bar by the unmarked Waide from 10 yards out.
Crusaders had their first shot on target in the second two minutes after the hour mark.
When a team isn’t firing on all cylinders – and Crusaders certainly weren’t – that’s when you require your big players to step up. Again, it was main man Heatley who got in down the left, but his volley was pushed out for a corner at his near post by Williamson.
Despite bringing on record goalscorer and vastly experienced Jordan Owens in an attempt to find that elusive equaliser, Crusaders only sporadically troubled the Ballymena defence. The best of those opportunities came 3 minutes from time when half-time sub Josh Robinson headed a Billy-Joe Burns cross straight at Williamson.
However, there was still time for one more twist.
Two minutes into four added on at the end, Heatley whipped in a corner and Crues keeper Jonny Tuffey, who had come up for the corner, got a touch on it and Robinson was there to force it over the line from point-blank range.
That meant extra-time and after a tepid opening period, the second 15 minutes was livelier.
Crusaders stepped it up a notch and thought they had got a second on 114 minutes.
Two subs combined as Brandon Doyle's cross from the left found the head of Aidan Wilson in a crowded penalty area. However, his header came off the top of the crossbar.
But, just like the end of normal time – history repeated itself at the end of extra-time as McMurray smashed home the winner.
TEAMS
Ballymena United: Williamson, Graham, Redman, Keeley (Loughran 77), McCullough, Barr (McElroy 71), Millar, McGrory, Kelly (Henderson 81), Parkhouse (Kane 77), Waide (Place 91)
Sub not used: Johnston, Smith
Crusaders: Tuffey, Weir (Robinson H-T), Burns (Doyle 88), Larmour (Wilson 110), O'Rourke, Lowry (Owen 80), Kennedy, Forsythe, Clarke (Caddell 67), Lecky (McMurray 67), Heatley
Sub not used: Hegarty
Referee: Tony Clarke
Attendance: 7,598