Rory Hanley!

No this isn't bad grammar (admittedly we are guilty of that at times), it's merely the name of the two new signing's who should make their début for United at Shamrock Park, against Portadown tomorrow. Of course we could've had another headline, like Nathan Carson, but we thought not. Hanley, a left sided midfielder, is the latest player to join the Sky Blues (Carson's signature has been expected for weeks)and gives Walker and his team yet another left-sided option. After last Saturday's debacle, we at 'Sport are anticipating major changes especially in defence where no-one emerged with any credit. With Sparky back from suspension, Mike Smith should be 'rested', alongside Albert and Colly. The only player in the back four who emerged with any credit last week was Archie and he should probably keep his place.

This would mean a start for Denver Gauge, with Gazza dropping back to partner him, while Rory Carson should make his début in centre midfield partnering Eamon Murray. With Mo on the right-side and Hanley on the left, it only leaves the striking partnership to be sorted out. Surely it's time we had a look at Dicky Gibson, while Mackers showed enough in his subs appearance last week to merit selection from the start. With the Cutch and Andy 'the headless chicken' Smith, showing little last week, surely a place on the bench is all they can merit.

In an interesting footnote last week a certain David Cushley scored the winner for Lisburn Distillery at Seaview (well Tommy Wright did once dub him the best young player in Ireland and then bluntly refused to let him do his own thing), while Sean O'Neill (Oggers), had a match-winning performance in goal for Dungannon Swifts at home to Linfield. Stephen Alexander in The Ballymena Times (B.T.), said that last Saturday's result was almost as bad as the loss to Kilnore Rec. during the reign of Kenny Shiels. We at 'Sport think you're way off the mark there Stephen, as actually in our opinion last Saturday's was a much worse result.

Not to make excuses for Kenny Shiels, but in the end he merely underestimated Kilmore, by fielding a weakened team. Last week we had out the eleven heroes who went to Windsor Park and fought a gallant draw against the reigning champions. This same starting eleven flopped miserably against newly promoted Donegal Celtic. Four nil was quite a drubbing, but we all know it could and should've been a lot worse. We were outfought and worse still out-thought. When our team came out for the 2nd half, we had made one substitution, but our tactics were still the same and of course we paid the ultimate penalty, a deserved 4 nil drubbing. Enough is enough, a vast improvement is required over the next 3 games, all away from home. Otherwise a bleak future awaits us all. No final punchline form us this week, we just expect some honest endeavour, with that anything is possible!