Comber Rec delight on Christmas Day in Steel & Sons Cup success over Crumlin Star

​Comber Rec captain Simon Hanna delivered Christmas Day delight with an extra-time Steel & Sons Cup final winner in Belfast.
By Patrick Van Dort
Published 25th Dec 2023, 15:20 BST
Updated 25th Dec 2023, 15:20 BST
Comber Rec celebrate winning the Steel & Sons Cup final on Christmas morning at Seaview in Belfast against Crumlin Star after extra-time. (Photo by Andrew McCarroll/Pacemaker Press)Comber Rec celebrate winning the Steel & Sons Cup final on Christmas morning at Seaview in Belfast against Crumlin Star after extra-time. (Photo by Andrew McCarroll/Pacemaker Press)
Comber Rec celebrate winning the Steel & Sons Cup final on Christmas morning at Seaview in Belfast against Crumlin Star after extra-time. (Photo by Andrew McCarroll/Pacemaker Press)

​The festive showpiece at Seaview served up a thriller for the bumper Christmas crowd as Comber Rec edged home by 3-2 overall after normal and extra-time.

Hanna produced a decisive finish after defensive confusion in the Crumlin Star penalty area.

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Crumlin Star had earlier kicked off the scoring before the break thanks to Stephen Smyth.

Comber Rec hit back to turn the tables as Dylan Wilson left it level to force extra-time.

Then Eliot Wilson made it 2-1 to Comber Rec across extra-time.

Aidan McNeill’s free-kick finish put the sides all-square at 2-2 before Hanna had the final say.

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Comber Rec will return to Crusaders’ Seaview on New Year’s Day to tackle Willowbank in the Border Cup final.

CRUMLIN STAR: C.McNeill, O’Neill (Trainor, 65), A.McNeill, Hawkins, Lillis (McBurney, 85), McNeill, Halfpenny, McLaughlin, Lynch, Fearon, Smyth (Doyle, 75).

Subs (not used): Trainor, McKervey, McBurney, Nolan, Doyle

COMBER REC: Pollock, Gillan (Gibson, 49), Walker, Moore, Whittle, Gaw, E.Wilson, Hanna, Conville (Fleck, 45), Grierson (Nelson, 45), D.Wilson.

Subs (not used): W.Hanna, Fleck, Laird, Gibson, Nelson.

Referee: Andrew Woodside.

Related topics:Belfast