Shield Shifters!

United made a swift return to Solitude tomorrow night, where they got a rare victory two weeks ago against Cliftonville, but this time it´s a County Antrim Shield semi-final game against current premier league leaders Crusaders. United are very much the underdogs in this game as the free scoring Crues will be expected to triumph over seventh placed United. Of course as any manager worth his ´salt´would tell you, league form counts for naught when it´s a knock out competition. Steven Baxter in his first managerial role, has done well with the ´hatchet´men, winning the Irish cup last season, but even he would have to concede that he is the apprentice, while United manager Roy Walker is the expert´ and hopefully that old dog will have a few tricks up his sleeve for tomorrow night´s game.
The first decision the United manager must make is whether to recall veteran Darren Lockhart, who had to sit out Saturday´s derby victory over the Coleraine scum, serving an automatic one game ban. The team performed excellently without big Darren and the ´wily´Walker may be reluctant to interfere with the starting eleven who won more convincingly than the 3-2 scoreline suggests. United must do without team Captain Kevin Kelbie as he remains sidelined with a swollen knee and is indeed doubtful for the visit of tomorrow night´s opponents to the Showgrounds for a league encounter this Saturday. But whomever Roy selects will have to be on top of their game if they are to be triumphant at North Belfast venue, so come on Sky Blues, let´s shag, no let´s really shag those Tiger bay babies!