Steven Crawford: It’s great to see Ballinamallard soaring again

The Fermanagh side wrote their own Cup Fairytale last Saturday when they beat Warrenpoint Town to become the first non top-flight club to reach the showpiece final in 43 years!

That honour was previously held by Carrick Rangers, who caused the shock of all shocks by beating Linfield 2-1 at The Oval in 1976.

Gary Prenter was Carrick’s hero on the day bagging a brace to shoot down the Blues.

Now the Mallards will be hoping to repeat the feat nearly four-and-a-half decades later as they take on high-flying Crusaders.

And Harry McConkey’s side should rightly be full of confidence having already dumped out Premiership clubs Warrenpoint and Dungannon Swifts.

I was delighted to hear the Ferney Park side have applied for an extraordinary application for a UEFA licence, so that they would be able to take their place in the Europa League if they do beat the Crues.

If they manage to beat Stephen Baxter’s men they will deserve their place in Europe and the financial windfall that goes with it.

And what a story that would be for the experienced campaigners of John Connolly, Richard Clarke and Ryan Campbell, who have been so pivotal in this run.

The Mallards are soaring again and it’s great to see!