Crumlin Star 2-0 Donagedee

On Friday night the star faced County Down side Donagedee in the second round of the Clarence cup at a blustery and rain swept Solutude. The management team thought this game was a good chance to bring some second team players in to see if they could do a job for the firsts as C. Gormley, O, Neill, Hawkins, McConnall, Whelan, McNally & Doyle where all given the chance to impress. With a strong wind against them in the first half the Stars young team passed the ball about well but when they got into the final third of the pitch they failed to penetrate the Donagedee rearguard. In fact it was the away side that came closest to breaking the deadlock when they rattled the Star's crossbar with a wind assisted free kick from all of 30 yards that sent the large away support into a frenzy. Nial Hawkins then had a few half chances which he failed to convert as the Star failed to trouble the away sides number one, though Garreth O'Neill's inswinging crosses from out in the left flank did cause havoc everytime he delivered one in.
H/T 0-0
The second half seen the Star litrally camp inside the away sides half and try to break them down but with Donagedee playing with ten men behind the ball and just one upfront the Star struggled to make any clear cut chances. With 25 minutes to go the Star reverted to a 3-4-3 formation as Berne & Doyle made way for the prolific pairing of Brown & Gormley. Finally in the 70th minute the Star finally got the breakthrough they craved when O'Neill's deep cross found Whelan at the back post and he brilliantly lobbed the ball over the stranded keeper and into the net to put his side 1-0 to the good. Donagedee didn't really push for an equaliser but nearly got one from another long range effort that dipped just over the crossbar. Gormley finally put the game to bed with five minutes to go with an easy tap in on the line after some brilliant work from Paul Brown in the box. The Star now face either the PSNI or old foes Ford in the next round.
Next week the Star face Mossley at Solitude on Friday night in a league fixture with a 7:30pm kick off.

Dam Whelan scored a superb goal on Friday night

Anto Braniff Interview!

Anto starts of the new weekly player interviews with new questions and hopefully a few laugh! Each week, we'll ask the players for their views on everything!

Name - Anto Braniff

Age - 31
Honours with Star - 3 2A titles, 2B title, 3 Cocrane Corry cups, junior shield, 3 Bobby Sands cups

Perfect Wag - Natalie Portman

Best player played with and why - Ciaran Reid, we've played together for years and have a good understanding of each other

Best player played against and why - I tried to mark Gary Hamilton a few years ago when I played for Ards against the Glens

If you could sign one player for the star, either a former player or a player from another team, who wud it be and why? Aidan O Kane from the blues, he's a true starman

The ladies man - Seeing me and Reider are retired I'll have to say Mark Mooney

 Worst person to room with on holiday and why? - Micky Hawkins, he's too sensible! I like to go a bit mad when I'm away

Any funny football incidents you have seen or be involved in or any funny holiday stories? - The time we played Downpatrick down there in the Clarence cup and we struggled to field a team so Micky Mezza was brought in to do nets, he'd no boots and when asked in the changing room what size he took he said a 7,8 or 9!

Worst dresser - Mal Thompson, thinks he's trendy but he's not

Worst dancer - Ciaran Burns, just stands with his top off fist pumping the air.

Smartest - probably the gaffer

Stupidest - Conor Quail, there's more brains in a false face.

Anto on a Night out!

Anto with the Junior Shield!