Homers a ‘year older and wiser’ - manager

The Ballymena Saturday Morning League champions reached the biggest game in junior football in this country only to end up well beaten by Strathroy Harps.

Now, 12 months later, Duddy feels his side is in a much better position to become the first club in the history of the Saturday Morning League - and only the third from the Ballymena - to lift the coveted trophy.

Homers, who are closing in on a second successive BSML title, take on Fermanagh side Lisbellaw in the final, at Castledawson, on May Day Monday.

“Last year’s final was a big disappointment for us, especially after doing so well to get there,” Duddy told Times Sport.

“Whether it was a case of the occasion getting to the players, or whether it was because we were missing a few players I’m not sure but we certainly didn’t perform anywhere near as well as we can.

“But we’re year older and wiser than we were and we know now how to go into this game.”

Duddy’s response to last year’s final defeat was to go out and strengthen a panel which already looks as though it could dominate in Saturday Morning League circles in the same fashion which rivals Carniny Rangers did over the past decade.

“I believe we have a stronger panel of players than this time last year.

“The boys who came in have all made a big impact in their first season, which is always pleasing.

“The two Nicholl brothers have been great signings - they can play more or less any position equally well which gives us greater strength.

“Ricky can play anywhere in midfield and has even played right-back at times, while David has really boosted our attacking options - he has about 15 goals from midfield.

“Jason Logan was another player who joined us in the summer and he’s another player who’s into double figures - he can play on either wing or up top.

“But the players who were already at the club have been outstanding as well - Darren Campbell has 30 goals from midfield, which is incredible. There’s a bit of competition between him and our skipper Gary Bonnes for top goalscorer!

“Even when the players came back after the summer, there was a lot of talk about giving the Junior Cup another go this season but we knew there was an awful lot of hard work ahead of us.”

Cup final opponents Lisbellaw were initially knocked out of the competition by Carniny Rangers at the quarter-final stage but the subsequent ineligibility issue surrounding Carniny defender Ricky Culbertson saw the Fermanagh men reinstated and they made the most of their reprieve by beating Windmill Stars in the final.

“On the day we beat Silverwood, Lisbellaw were playing Carniny on the pitch beside us and we actually had someone keeping an eye on that game. We also had them watched in their semi-final and the people watching them came back with good reports - they are a strong, physical team and we will have to be at our beat to beat them.

“To reach the Junior Cup final once is a great achievement in any player’s career but to do it twice was always going to be a big ask - I spent 20 years as a player trying to do it with Rooftop and never got a sniff of it!” laughs Robert.