Sky Blue Sport News

Friday, March 27, 2015

Soldier On!

The Sky Blue Sport crew have to miss the match against the Ducks at Ferney Park tomorrow, because of prior commitments. Well in fact we are kicking our collective heels in Spain, enjoying the Spanish sun if not the strong breeze and generally having a relaxing time. Not even Rusty Ray is going to be at the game tomorrow, so we will have no presence at the game for the first time for a while. But we will be with United in spirit, but they will have to soldier on without our bodies.

We couldn't´t ascertain any team news, so we don't know if Paddy Mac and Cookie remain on the injured list or not? Anyway our defence is so porous, you could drive a bus through it, so it doesn´t make any difference who does or doesn't play. The only thing that we can hope for is to score more goals than the opposition, a tall order we know, but needs must, so come on Sky Blues, lets shag those duckies!

Friday, March 20, 2015

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!


Friday, March 13, 2015

Home Comforts!

United go into their penultimate match before the split with a home game against league leaders Crues. Not only are they league leaders, but the they have plundered 77 goals and United have let in 68 goals, so a scoreless game doesn't look likely. The Sky Blues will no doubt be hoping for a positive result in this is our last home game before Easter and the last game before our Irish cup semi-final, against Portadown. Judging by our managers pre-match comments, it doesn't look likely, he'll play a weakened team and he has emphasised the need to get a result from this game.

It's not known whether Cutch, who transferred to Ballymena from the Crues, is eligible as he is the latest United player to be bound by a Gentleman's agreement, between him and the Crues manager, Stephen 'Mr Ugly' Baxter. So he is a signed United player, but he might as well be on loan, if this proves to be the case. Definitely missing from the Sky Blues line-up, will be Thommo, JT and Cush as they are all serving suspension, but they should be available for the the semi-final next week.

In the absence of JT, who will Spike select alongside Paddy Mac at the centre of our defence. Does he take a chance on Cookie, who struggled along with all our other players at Stangmore, last Friday night or does he, as he has done in the past, ask his Captain Jenks, to drop back into defence? We at 'Sport are of the opinion that Jenks will be needed to bolster the midfield, with Thommo and Cush  not available and Maca cup-tied next week.

He could maybe take a chance and play the versatile Sparky at the centre of defence, but we think he will not want to take a chance with the Crues forwards in prolific form. Paul Heatley, ex-Carrick Rangers, needs no introduction to United fans, as he took a 'dive' to win a penalty as United were cruelly dumped out the league cup semi-final a couple of  seasons ago. We'll need a strong ref to combat Heatley's diving tomorrow, but our luck is out for the ref appointed, is none other than Tim 'nice but dim' Marshall.

So it'll be a hard game, but one we have got to be up for and its a last chance to get a decent gate, as it is a Corporate dinner, we'll be lucky if the Crues bring 150, in fact 150 would be a good crowd for them. There is a collection on behalf Huntingdon disease, which is a degenerative disease, affecting people in all walks of life, so please do give generously to this worthy cause. Lets hope the Sky Blues are up for this one, so come on Sky Blues, lets shag those paper tigers!

Thursday, March 05, 2015

Not Pretty!

United go into this match at Dungannon Swifts tomorrow night, doomed to a bottom six finish, but we hope they don't take their foot of the gas. We aren't out of the woods yet as regards automatic relegation, but three points at Stangmore tomorrow night,should go a long way to ensuring that. What selection will our manager make? One change was forced on him with injury to JT last Saturday, luckily its not so bad as feared, badly bruised and not broken, but he'll missing for a number of weeks.

We, at 'Sport expect Glenn to start with Cookie in JTs place or he could start with Captain Jenks, who played there with distinction on a number of occasions in the past. With the return of Steeky from his one game ban, we should have a back four of Jimer, Steeky, Paddy Mac and Cookie or Jenks, therefore releasing Tony into midfield. Will Fergie recall the cup-tied Maca in place of the disappointing Gawley and might there be a chance to give Darboy a rare start?

We'll have to wait and see on that one, but Glenn has found a way to play his two favourite players, Captain Jenks and Thommo, in the same team and we fully expect him to start with virtually the same side as last week, the only two changes, Steeky and Cookie. A word here about the young lad Craig Gardiner, who filled in at a leftback in the absence of Steeky last week. Bruce Balmer was scathing in his match report on young Craig and most of all he was livid with our manager Spike, but we had to calm him down.

The manager saw a way to give the youngster a baptism to the cut and thrust of Irish cup action and he took a chance and he was rescued at the eleventh hour by the 'never say die' attitude of our team. The 'Sport crew to a man, thought we were dead and buried when Tippers weak penalty was saved by the Welders keeper, but credit to our players, they kept going and we were rewarded with a last gasp victory. But its back to the bread and butter of league football tomorrow night and we best be up for it.

The ref is our old friend Heth and we think the NIFL is taking the 'piss' as he is a native of Dungannon, but what's new. In the absence of regular spot-kick king, Ally, will Tippers still get the nod if we should be lucky enough to get one, or will the responsibility fall to Cutch? We suppose we'll have to wait and see on that one, but it will make for an interesting talking point. Its not going to be pretty, but if we want enough we can do it, so come Sky Blues, lets shag those chicken shaggers!