Marcus Kane will carry memory of baby son Harrie into Irish Cup final bid with Glentoran

The Glens defender has opened up over how the ‘up and down’ emotions following the deep family tragedy suffered by the Kanes in December with the passing of baby Harrie featured prominently in his mind during Monday’s semi-final celebrations.

Kane admits a personal drive heading into this week’s return to competitive football for the opportunity ‘to make Harrie proud and get into the final and have a chance to lift the cup’.

The widespread backing from around the Irish League and beyond across ‘Just Giving’ and ‘Hike for Harrie’ platforms has resulted in substantial financial support for the maternity ward and bereavement care at Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital, generating a significant sum far in excess of the family’s £10,000 target.

“I wanted to make Harrie proud and get into the final and have a chance to lift the cup,” said Kane. “My emotions have been up and down and still are.

“I like football because I can escape, for 90 minutes I can get my head focused on something else.

“On Monday my emotions spilled out a bit especially after the final whistle.

“The boys did and we did it the hard way and I am so proud of everybody at the club.

“They have been so supportive throughout the last eight months, especially with raising money and awareness.

“The ‘Hike for Harrie’ charity drive was the Glentoran media team’s idea and we just ran with it.

“Now we are sitting around £50,000 all in so it has been fantastic.

“It wasn’t even about the money but the money does go a long way for the maternity ward and the bereavement care that goes on (at Royal Victoria Hospital) that we didn’t know about before all this happened.

“I had a platform to make people aware and to give people a little comfort who are going through this and that meant a lot to me.

“This is a situation where it doesn’t just affect yourself - it affects grandparents, great grandparents, cousins, everyone.

“Their support has been amazing and we know they were hurting as well.

“It’s fantastic to have such a tight family.

“I have (wife) Aimee and (daughter) Mollie coming (to the final) and two people who were getting tickets because they are volunteers around the club, Sam and Clifford, wanted to give their tickets to my parents, which was an incredible gesture.

“I was very emotional when I was told they wanted to give their tickets up so Mum, Dad, Aimee and Mollie will be in their own little bubble and can sit together. “Mollie loves going to the football, she went to watch the game in the Westbourne Supporters’ Club on Monday night and she was cheering us on.

“She had a little board so when the goals were scored she would mark them down and every time a penalty went in during the shoot-out she would put down a tick and if there was a miss she would put down a cross.

“She loves football, I would have loved to have had her as a mascot beside me for the final but to have her there will be amazing.”

The circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic have created a ‘new normal’ for this most unusual of seasons but Kane admits a lasting love of the Irish Cup competition that remains undiminished.

“I have been thinking about lifting the trophy since I was about 18,” he said. “I have had 10 years to think about it, I didn’t think I would have a chance at 28 as a captain.

“I thought that would have came a bit later, I fell lucky with the Glens, Stephen McAlorum had a bad injury and I was vice-captain and had half a year when I was captain.

“The year after when Stephen left and I carried on, that half a year was like work experience.

“My first cup final was Linfield v Portadown and I love the Irish Cup, I love the whole day of it and the build-up and to be able to lift it would be fantastic.

“It is going to be special, it is going to be emotional, I am sure Jim (Ervin) is thinking the same thing.

“He has had plenty of experience of being involved in Irish Cup wins and it will be special for whoever lifts it, may the best team win.”

Kane made his debut for the Glens in 2012 so has an insider’s viewpoint of the highs and lows endured and experienced by the east Belfast outfit now enjoying signs of long-term rejuvenation following outside investment.

“With this project, as Mick (McDermott) has said in the season, we are way ahead of where they thought we would be...to get into a cup final in basically their first year and finishing fifth in the league when we may have got higher had it been allowed to finish,” he said. “A cup win always spurs you on to that next season and, being so close to the new season, if we win on Friday we will bring that into next season.

“There have been a lot of changes the whole way through so I am used to new people coming in.

“I try to give a feel what Glentoran is all about, it is a family club about family values, going to supporters’ clubs and supporting fans and giving them something back.

“I always feel if you give to the fans they will reward you on the pitch and give you the freedom to play and not give you too much of a hard time.

“People who have come in have bought into it, there were a lot of new faces in January and it does take time to settle.

“I think it is easier when you come in on a pre-season and there are a couple of nights when you go out team bonding and the boys in January didn’t get that, especially with Covid coming in.

“There is still a lot of potential with the boys who have come in and when we get other new players in ahead of the new season they will gel in.

“Anyone can win a cup final, Glentoran have had a few harsh lessons down the years.

“Mick has us focused on this match and we are focused on winning the match.

“So I think we are definitely a step ahead and if we win the cup it might jump us up a few steps and get the project they are working on going up through the gears.”

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