Sides up for Supplementary Cup Final

Both sides fancy their chances going into the show-piece game and Donemana manager Adam Buchanan feels his side can cause an upset.

The Second Division side are hoping to secure their first trophy in a number of years.

“We are looking forward to the final and to be honest at the start of the season we said that we really wanted to go all the way in the Supplementary Cup, as we didn’t feel we could cope in terms of winning the league,” stated Buchanan.

“We know that Ardmore are favourites as they are in a league above us, but I know my players and I feel we have a younger and fitter team, who will match Ardmore in terms of a physical game.”

Having been out of football for a number of years Donemana have returned to North West Junior football and with this being Buchanan’s first season managing the Reserves a trophy in the cabinet would be nice.

“The club folded for a few years and we have only started back up and running since 2009, so this would the first final for the Reserves,” he added.

“To be honest I started the club up again and was playing for the first team before taking over as manager for the Reserves and this year is my first year managing them, so it would be great to win it.”

Just like their cricket team Donemana Reserves are likely to be well supported on Saturday, with a big crowd expected to travel to Wilton Park.

“Hopefully we’ll have a big support coming in for us and I think with the match starting at 4pm, that should help the gate.”

As for his opposite number Joe Cregan, he knows it’s going to be a tough game for his side.

“As it’s a cup final anything can happen in it and to be honest we don’t know what type of team they’ll field,” he admitted.

“But having got to the final we obviously want to win it, but as I said because it’s a final you never know what’s going to happen.”

Cregan’s side go into the final off the back of some super form, as they haven’t suffered a defeat in a number of weeks.

“Since Claudy Rovers gave us a bad beating, we haven’t lost a match since and I think we have won 11 or 12 matches in a row, so we are hitting good form at the right time of the season and hopefully that good form can continue on Saturday.

“Young Eddie Bell has been very good for us this season, he’s a great finisher. Barry Gormley has been good and although he hasn’t scored many, his experience and set-up play has been super all season.

“Then in midfield Chris Gormley and Kyle Gallagher have been great for us and to be honest those two could and should definitely be playing at a higher level.”

This Saturday’s final will be the last game for Ardmore stalwart Jimmy McAllister and Cregan hopes his veteran defender can end his career on a winning note.

“Jimmy has been playing 19 years for Ardmore, we joked about it recently that he started out as a lighting quick striker and now he slots in a left-back

“Every club needs a person like Jimmy McAllister who gives his all for the one club and even though he might finish playing for us, he’ll definitely be helping out behind the scenes next season and it would be nice for both him and James Cruickshank to end their Ardmore careers with a winners medal.”