Emotional Irish Cup win for Glentoran captain Marcus Kane

The joy on Marcus Kane’s face when he lifted the Irish Cup on Friday night was there for all to see.
Marcus Kane lifts the Irish Cup with Head Coach Mick McDermottMarcus Kane lifts the Irish Cup with Head Coach Mick McDermott
Marcus Kane lifts the Irish Cup with Head Coach Mick McDermott

Lifting the trophy as Glentoran skipper has been something the 28-year-old has been dreaming about for a long time.

There was huge outpouring of emotion when Kane was finally achieved his dream following the extra time win over Ballymena United.

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The devastating loss of his young son Harrie is a challenge many would struggle to cope with, but it’s a measure of the man that Kane led his team to glory thanks to his strength of character.

And there was a beautiful moment as Kane was able to share the celebrations with his wife Aimee and daughter Mollie.

“Those 10 years have been brewing to lift the trophy,” he said after the game.

“It has lived up to expectation and more.

“It’s obviously a hat-trick for me winning the Irish Cup.

“I love the Irish Cup and to lift it, I really can’t wait to go and see the BBC footage.

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“I was told they got good footage of me with my daughter Mollie and that was special because my family means a lot to me.”

The win ended a five-year trophy drought for the Glens, and for a club used to winning major honours and playing in Europe it was hard to take.

“They were tough times,” said Kane. “Myself and Elliott (Morris) are winners, even in training if I’m playing against him I want to beat him.

“We always have a joke and laugh about it but it’s serious. He always places a cone six yards out and that’s his wrecking zone - you don’t go inside that marker!

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“To be in that environment, where we weren’t being successful, even though we were at our full potential and playing as hard as we could, was tough.

“So to play in this team this season, to go on that run we had in the league and win the Irish Cup is a big boost and a step in the right direction.”

One of the key performers for Glentoran in the cup run has been striker Robbie McDaid. The front man netted six times in the competition including the winner five minutes before the end of extra time.

“I had said to Robbie in the semi-final when we went into extra-time ‘you owe me a goal’. He said ‘right OK, I owe you a goal’,” explained Kane.

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“He didn’t score, so before the final I told him ‘you still owe me that goal’. He produced it and scored a big goal for us. It’s probably the best goal I’ve seen in my life.

“When it hit the back of the net, I knew straight away that was it, even though Ballymena piled the pressure on.”

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