Former Irish League midfielder hoping to add Christmas medal to Crumlin Star collection

​The two sides will meet at Seaview on Christmas Day in what is the standout fixture for clubs at Intermediate level and below with Star aiming to tick off a trophy which has so far eluded them during a golden spell.

Since 2011, they’ve won the Border Cup five times, lifted the Intermediate Cup twice, celebrated two Clarence Cup crowns and climbed through the Northern Amateur Football League ranks from 1C into the Premier Division, winning it three times as well.

Paul Trainor’s men have previously reached two Steel & Sons Cup semi-finals, but now in the showpiece decider, McNeill is looking to seize the opportunity of what is a unique occasion.

"It is unique,” said the former Irish League star. “You have questions galore that can't be answered in terms of what are we doing after the match – are we going for a drink or coming for dinner? We can't answer those questions because everything is result dependent.

"Most teams have been off training this week so going up to the pitch on Tuesday and Thursday there's only us there.

"The Border Cup result against Comber was a reality check. We were coasting before that. We were playing well but not brilliantly.

“We were embarrassed that night. Personally, it's the worst game of football I've played in a long time and I was embarrassed about my own performance.

"I felt like I let the team down that night and that'll not be happening on Monday. From then we have stepped it up.

"We played Rosemount last weekend and we were really good for 60 minutes - barely gave them a touch of the ball good.

"We need to bring that again into this cup final because Comber beat us well in the Border Cup."

Much of that cup success has came at the same venue they’ll be stepping out onto on Monday morning and McNeill is keen to create more special memories.

"I asked Chew (Trainor) the other day if we were training at Seaview before the final and he said 'Joe, we know it better than some of the Crusaders players!',” he laughed. “Crumlin Star over the last 10/12 years have had probably seven or eight finals on the pitch so we'll be no strangers to it.

"I've good memories from Seaview. I scored a goal against Ballynahinch Olympic in the last minute of normal time to make it 1-1 in the Border Cup final and we went on to win on penalties. I scored with my right foot - which is a collectors item!

"The more comfortably you win a final the better because I find them nerve-wrecking.

"In terms of memories, we beat Downpatrick 4-1 in a final one time and that was straightforward, handy enough and that's a nice final for me.

"The rest of them are blood and thunder, not much football being played and real battles.”