Irish Cup: Lyndon Kane determined to play his part this time around as Coleraine skipper hails growing connection between players and supporters

Efforts from Darren McCauley, Aaron Burns and Eoin Bradley brought the Irish Cup back to The Showgrounds as Oran Kearney’s men saw off the Reds on a sunny afternoon in the capital.

However, that success brought mixed emotions for Lyndon Kane after the defender missed out on the biggest day of the sporting calendar with a metatarsal injury sustained just two weeks before the final.

It marked a cruel twist of events for the hometown boy after he scored a stunning strike in the semi-final win against Larne which propelled the Bannsiders into the decider.

Kane was still on hand to join in on the celebrations as he climbed the steps in crutches to watch his team-mates lift the trophy.

Fast forward eight years and Coleraine have booked their spot in this year’s final and Kane is determined to play his part on the pitch.

"I have good memories from scoring in the semi-final but the day I went down at Windsor against Linfield, I knew I wouldn’t play in the final,” he recalled.

“At that time it was just about sticking with the lads and rallying around them because I knew how much it meant to the town and everyone connected to the club as well.

"Seeing Skinner (Eoin Bradley) run through in the last minute, everyone shouting for him to go to the corner, and just watching the ball hit the back of the net and everything that came with that was unbelievable.

“It wasn't easy celebrating to be fair because when Skinner scored everyone ran down the touchline and I got halfway down and they were all coming back.

"It was disappointing because obviously as a player you want to play in them games but it just makes me even more determined now to go and get a winner's medal again because that's one thing I don't have.

"There's only 18 medals given out on the day so I don't have an Irish Cup winner's medal.”

Kane lives within a mile of The Showgrounds and he admits he has been taken aback by the support of fans and local businesses in the build-up to the final.

Known as ‘Operation Blue and White’, the town is a sea of blue and white flags, with special window displays being decorated ahead of the big day.

Local band ‘Cellar Door’ has also released a song labelled as ‘Have you ever seen Coleraine’, with the club mascot ‘Benny the Bannsider’ visiting schools and other organisations.

Kane said: “It's amazing to see...I think the work that some of the people have done around the town to get it looking how it is, it's unreal.

“There was a moment I was just driving, I was in a bit of a daze, and then I looked and I was like ‘this is unreal and this is all for the Irish Cup final’.

“It just shows you how much excitement there is within the town and I think the connection is starting to grow between the players and the fans as well, which has been clear to see in the last two or three months especially.

"But it was a pinch me moment when I was in the car on my own and I was just kind of like ‘this is real and it's close’.

"I think it's probably took the new guys a wee bit by surprise.

“I know them lads didn't know much about Coleraine before they came to the club and that's the truth...but I think now you're seeing the backing we had in the semi-final, the backing we had all year at home games. and then hearing whispers of how many tickets have been sold for the final.

"I think you can see them lads getting excited as well. Obviously there's lads in our changing room that's played in bigger games, bigger crowds, Scottish Cup finals and League of Ireland finals as well, but I think they can see the real connection between the town and the club and it's exciting for everyone.”

Only Kane and Jamie McGonigle remain from that success in 2018 and the Coleraine skipper commented on how things have changed both on and off the pitch in recent years after being purchased by Henry Ross and entering full-time football in the process.

He stated: "The build-up is probably quite similar but there's also a lot of changes with it.

"The way the club's moved forward, the professional direction from top to bottom is unbelievable, and the work everyone puts in.

“It's a great group to be a part of and that's staff, players and background staff, Henry, Dale (Pryde-MacDonald, CEO), everyone involved.

"It's a joy to come in every day and the excitement is there. As I said, these are the games you want to play in and be involved in as a footballer, so hopefully we can do the job.”

Dungannon now find themselves back in an Irish Cup final after winning the competition for the first time last year.

Kane credited his opponents for their work in recent years and believes clever recruitment has paid dividends at Stangmore Park.

"The quality of player that they have is very, very good and they are probably a slightly different team to what they were last year,” he concluded.

“They've recruited really well...losing John McGovern and replacing him with Sean McAllister, I think it's nearly like for like to be honest.

“He's been a great addition and players like Gael Bigirimana and James Knowles...boys that have been there have done that as well.”