Crusaders forward Ben Kennedy hopes to end a near decade long quest for a trophy in Saturday’s Samuel Gelson’s Whiskey Irish Cup final with Ballymena United.
The last time the 25-year-old lifted silverware was as a teenager with St Oliver Plunkett alongside a number of other future Irish League stars.
Linfield midfielder Stephen Fallon and Cliftonville duo Levi Ives and Seanna Foster were all teammates in a team coached by Stephen Lynch and Jim Magilton.
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“They were really good times,” said Kennedy, who went on to earn a move to Stevenage in 2015 before returning home to join Crusaders two years ago.
“We had a very good team and I was playing alongside the likes of Levi Ives, Stevie Fallon and Seanna Foster. We played really good football and were winning everything.
“It’s funny because I didn’t lose many games with that team and when I went over to England we were maybe losing and I was thinking ‘what’s going on?’
“The last trophy I won was as a teenager with Plunketts and I haven’t had that feeling since. It’s something I’d like to put right in this final.”
While Kennedy is relishing his first showpiece as a Crues player, Stephen Baxter’s team is laden with players who have been down this road before.
Experienced midfielder Philip Lowry and captain BJ Burns are both chasing their fifth winners’ medals, having also won it three times with former club Linfield.
Jordan Owens and Declan Caddell have twice lifted the trophy with the Seaview club, while Paul Heatley, Jordan Forsythe and Ross Clarke were part of the triumphant 2019 side.
“I’m lucky to be in a changing room with a lot of players who have been there, done that and the likes of Billy (Joe) never shuts up about what he has won!” joked Kennedy.
“But those boys have experienced it all before and they should be proud of what they have achieved. It’s something I want to do. I want to win as many trophies as they have.”
Kennedy, one of the Irish League’s star performers of the season, says Irish Cup glory would provide an ideal “send-off” for retiring midfielder Caddell.
Caddell, who has won three league titles and played more than 500 times for the Crues, is hanging up his boots to take up a position as the club’s head of academy.
“Deccy is retiring and it would be a good send-off for him if we could lift the Irish Cup to round off his last season with the club,” said Kennedy.
“It would be a big thing for him to end on that note and it’s also great that he’s going to be staying in and around the club in his new role.
“He’s a well liked and popular figure in the changing room so we want to do that for Deccy. At the same time, we also want to do it for each other.”
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