Ballymena United v Crusaders

THE VETERAN

Experienced defender Ross Redman hopes to repay Ballymena United’s faith in him by ending the Braid club’s long 34-year wait for blue riband glory.

The 33-year-old’s career stood at a crossroads when David Jeffrey made a surprise swoop to lure him to the Showgrounds from Glentoran in 2020. But Redman, chasing his first Irish Cup success, has emerged as a consistent and reliable cog in the Ballymena machine in subsequent years. And he knows the ultimate thank-you to Jeffrey and the club would be to deliver showpiece success to the Sky Blues for the first time since a Paul Hardy goal was enough to defeat Larne 1-0 in the 1989 final. “I came to Ballymena after a difficult period in my career,” said Redman. “I had gone on loan to Dungannon from Glentoran and I wasn’t fit having just come back from surgery. “When I met David, I knew there were a lot of people doubting me and writing me off, but I got myself right and felt I had a lot more to give and prove in the game. “It would have been easy for David and Bryan (McLoughlin) to say ‘no, you’re too old’, but they took a chance on me and I hope I have repaid them with my performances. “Ballymena is a very welcoming club and I’ve loved it here. I also know what a first Irish Cup success in 34 years would mean to everyone. If we achieved that, we would be remembered for a long time.” Redman, approaching 125 appearances for the Sky Blues, has suffered heartache in all three of his previous outings in the Irish Cup decider. Last year’s agonising last gasp defeat to Crusaders after extra time followed painful losses as a

Portadown player to Linfield and Glentoran respectively in the 2010 and 2015 finals. “I know how privileged I am to be playing in my fourth Irish Cup final and given my past experiences I’m just hoping it’s a different outcome this year,” he said. “I’ve been around the league a long time and I know you don’t always get the opportunity to play in a final. The older you get, the more you appreciate these moments. “It’s a fantastic competition and one of the big two trophies you can win here. It’ll be a great occasion but at the end of the day we are here to win a football match. “Yes, you have to savour the occasion but you also have to seize the opportunity.” Crusaders, who finished 28 points above United in the league, will be favourites as they chase the fourth blue riband success of Stephen Baxter’s 18-year reign. “We know Crusaders will be favourites, and rightly so given their league position and the players they have, but it’ll come down to who performs on the day,” said Redman. “If we don’t perform, with the quality Crusaders have they could brush us aside very easily, but we have shown we can compete with full-time teams on our day. “If we turn up and things go our way on the day, who knows what can happen?” Words Darren Fullerton

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