Torn Between!

This may seem like a strange headline, but we think it sums up our mood going into tomorrow's Irish cup semi-final against Portadown, exactly. We are torn between wanting our beloved Sky Blues to win and proceed to the Irish cup final for the second season running, the first time since since the 1959 final. But a long way to go to eclipse the 1929-31 finals, where we reached 3 finals in succession. If we beat the Ports tomorrow and lady luck has been with us against Chickenville and the Welders, our manager will no doubt get an extension to his contract.

If on the other hand, we lose, god forbid, we expect our board to say enough, is enough and appoint some visionary to take us to a higher level. Fergie, has taken us to the three finals, only winning one of them. But if truth be known, it was a surprise, given that we had shipped six goals to Linfield, whom we beat to win the Country Antrim Shield, barely a month or so previously. Fergie took us to another two finals in 2014 and 2015 and we deservedly lost them both.

But we have a chance to get to our 4th final tomorrow under his rule and Fergie has been at pains this week, to point out that we need better players, if we want to compete at the highest level. We at 'Sport are in agreement with him, bit we would point out that except for 5 or 6 players, in our first team panel, these are 'his players' and he gave them extended contracts just this season. But if Fergie is giving leave to carry on, which players are going to leave this season and who will he bring in.

We have been with Glenn all the way , but sometimes his tactics leave us nonplussed. He's a great believer in everybody playing to the system as he sees it and he's an avid believer in 4,3,3. It may have worked when he was at Linfield, in all those glory filled years, but alas at Ballymena it hasn't been an unqualified success. He started out this season, by playing a 4,4,2, system and when it became unstuck due to loss of form and injuries, he abandoned it.

He has since rekindled it, but with Maca cup-tied, he has been playing Gawley and his form has gone to the doldrums. The same could be said for  United's talisman, Cush, who blows hot and cold ,but mainly cold. So it will come as no surprise, if he goes back to to his favoured system tomorrow, he will live or die with that system, we fervently hope he lives. If we by some miracle overcome the Ports tomorrow and go on and win the cup, who knows what that can do to our fortunes.

The news on the injury front is not good, with Cookie picking up a groin strain in training and no word of Gavin and McVey, but on the plus side, JT is expected to declare himself fit. Our big goalkeeper Tall Tim, needs to assert himself, not like the last two weeks, he can't expect ref Andrew Davey to take his side every time. So its all systems to go for the Sky Blues, let's send these Portadowners to their orchards where they belong, lets shag them good, come on Sky Blues!