In-form striker hoping to fire club to maiden Bob Radcliffe Cup success on Boxing Day

​The 26-year-old has netted 16 times in 19 matches across all competitions – already one more than he managed in the entirety of 2022/23 – and scored in three of the four rounds as the County Down outfit navigated their way to this stage.

Buchanan enters the showpiece decider in red-hot form, scoring a hat-trick in Moneyslane’s 7-0 victory over Bourneview Mill earlier this month which helped extend their unbeaten Intermediate A run to eight matches, and has found the net in seven of his last nine.

"I'm really pleased because it's the first season where I've really hit the goalscoring form that I'm in,” he said. “I always knew I had the ability in there, but for whatever reason it just never really materialised.

"This season it seems like everything is going for us.

"The team is playing really well and as a result the centre-forward is going to get more goals.

"The coaches have been very good at tweaking little tactics.

"They sat down with me and adjusted slight things in my game with getting me into the right areas to get the chances.

“Hopefully I can add another one or two on Boxing Day."

Less than five miles separate Moneyslane and Rathfriland geographically, which will undoubtedly give Tuesday’s showdown a derby feel in front of an expected healthy crowd at Iveagh Park.

Buchanan spent three seasons with Rathfriland, who now ply their trade in the Premier Intermediate League, playing mainly for the youth and reserve teams, and admits that gives this final an added edge.

"It does add something extra to it,” he added. “I spent three seasons at Rathfriland playing more for their youth and reserve teams.

"I never really played for the first team that much. There are a few other guys in the team who have had a similar experience of playing for their youth and reserve teams before making the move to Moneyslane.

"There are four or five of us in the Moneyslane first team that have played for Rathfriland at some stage so it'll add an extra edge to the game."

It will be an occasion to savour for all involved with Moneyslane, who are taking on a Rathfriland side that won this competition in 2019/20.

"It's the first time in the club's history that they've had a Boxing Day final and it's something that we've been building up to,” added Buchanan. "The club is really behind us and it's going to be a great day out for everyone involved.

“People around the club have been talking about it for the last couple of weeks and you bump into people around the town and they can't wait for it.

"It's going to be a big test and Rathfriland are a really good side, but we're going into it on good form.

"There's absolutely no reason why we can't win – it's a cup final and anything can happen.”