‘Archie’ aiming to lay the ghost of 2010 despair

Aaron Stewart wasn’t even born the last time Ballymena United won the Irish Cup, in 1989.
Aaron Stewart is Ballymena United's longest-serving player, despite being just 24 years old. Picture: Press Eye.Aaron Stewart is Ballymena United's longest-serving player, despite being just 24 years old. Picture: Press Eye.
Aaron Stewart is Ballymena United's longest-serving player, despite being just 24 years old. Picture: Press Eye.

Which, given the fact that ‘Archie’ has made more appearances for Ballymena than any of the current squad, gives a fair indication of the yawning gap in the club’s history that the class of 2014 are aiming to bridge this Saturday.

The 24-year-old has come through the club’s Youth Academy set-up to establish himself as a mainstay in United’s defence.

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And who better to give the Irish Cup final debutant some advice than his father Alfie, who played in the showpiece decider on a handful of occasions for Glentoran and Portadown.

“It’s definitely a help for me to hear of his experiences, particularly about such a massive occasion,” says Aaron.

“It’s funny, on the morning of the semi-final against Queen’s, I was a bit restless, just wishing that the match was there and then - he said he was exactly the same when he was playing.

“I don’t think a bit of nerves does any harm - it helps you keep your focus and once you get that first touch of the ball the nerves go.”

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The Irish Cup hasn’t always provided happy memories for Stewart - it was he who missed the decisive penalty in the shootout defeat by Portadown in the 2010 semi-final.

But Aaron used that setback to develop both as a player and a person, culminating in a man-of-the-match performance in United’s now famous County Antrim Shield success two years later.

“I guess that’s the type of experience that people describe as ‘character-building’,” he recalls.

“The way I looked at it, there were better players than me who had missed penalties in big matches. If it came down to penalties on Saturday I would put myself forward again - the fact I’ve missed a high-profile one in the past wouldn’t put me off again.”

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Stewart is now back in the cup final reckoning after limping off with a groin injury in the semi-final win which sidelined him for three weeks.

“When I got the injury I was actually pretty fearful for the first few days but then it gradually began to improve over the weeks and I was able to do the exercises Gordy (McCartney) had given me.”

On Saturday’s game, Stewart expects a tight encounter: “Over the course of the season there hasn’t been much between the teams - we won one, drew one and lost one against them and, with the exception of the 6-3 defeat on the first day of the season, the matches have been a lot closer.

“It will most probably come down to which team adapts best to the whole cup final experience and which one is more clinical on the day,” added Aaron.