Posted online: Apr 30th, 2008

By Neil Murray

info@inishtimes.com

Old adversaries Clonmany and Redcastle face each other at Caratra Park, Culdaff on Sunday in the final of the Credit Union Cup. 

On a high after winning the Ulster Junior Cup, Shamrocks boss Martin Cavanagh says the team are raring to go.

Fans on both sides will be hoping the match is as dramatic as last season’s final, when Clonmany beat Redcastle in a thrilling penalty shoot-out.

He told Inish Times Sport:  “It’s going to be one terrific final. Redcastle are a very good team so we’ll need to be at our very best to beat them on Sunday.”

“We beat them in the semi-final final of the Ulster Junior Cup, but that result will count for nothing on this occasion. “I’ll be without top goal-scorer Brendan Devlin as he will be on holiday, but I’ve got every faith in the strikers we have.

“We’ve had a very good season so far and it’s great to be playing in showpieces like this.

“Clonmany have always prided themselves in the fact that bar one player all the other players are locals.

“Our success this season has been built on team effort rather than individual skill and that’s the way we like it.

But despite his side’s current run of form, Cavanagh is determined not to take anything for granted ahead of Sunday’s final.

He said: “It doesn’t do to be overconfident in this game and finals are notorious banana skins at the best of times. “Redcastle are a fine footballing team.

“In centre-back Martin Farren they have one of the best defenders in the league while Eamon Reddin, Joe Doherty and Eddie McIntyre having been in great form for them this term.

“We’re expecting a real test on Sunday. We’ll approach this final in a quietly confident mood and if we play to our strengths we’ll not go far wrong.

“A good Clonmany travelling support will be at Caratra Park to cheer us on and act as our twelfth-man.

“They have been simply fantastic this season and we’ll be doing our very best to win the Credit Union cup, just for them.