“That is, without a shadow of a doubt, the cruellest moment of my managerial career.”
Johnny McMurray “had Paul Leeman in a headlock” as the euphoric celebrations of his last-gasp winner saw him embrace the BBC TV pundit as he watched on from pitch-side.
Every member of the Crusaders bench had emptied their seats, with the majority off on a run of delight down the touchline as they celebrated in front of their supporters.
Those Crues fans, housed in one half of the South Stand and in the East Stand behind where the goal had just been scored, were delirious, no doubt filled with joy and shock in equal measure at what they had just witnessed.
A glance up the pitch, however, told a very different story. Ballymena United boss David Jeffrey, the talismanic godfather of Irish League managers, could do nothing but fall to his knees right on the touchline in front of the dug-out he had patrolled with his customary dominating presence throughout the game.
This is not how he wanted his 300th match in charge of the Sky Blues to go.
This occasion, the 2022 Irish Cup final, witnessed two of the most dramatic one-off incidents in the history of the competition’s finals – and Jeffrey’s side were on the wrong end of both of them.
Around 35 minutes before McMurray’s exquisite 123rd-minute volley won the cup for the Crues with virtually the last kick of the game, Jeffrey had to watch on as goalkeeper Jonny Tuffey came up for a 93rd-minute corner and directed a header towards the back post to be stabbed home by substitute Josh Robinson, himself sporting a head bandage from an earlier injury. It was one of those days.
That equalised Robbie Weir’s ninth-minute own goal, a mistake which, with seconds left on the clock, looked like it was going to deliver a seventh Irish Cup for Ballymena and a first in 33 years.
The post-match Crusaders celebrations in the stands and on the pitch were the embodiment of the extreme emotions that football can fuel, and as vivid a snapshot as you will see as to why so many people love the sport. It was difficult, however, for the eye not to be drawn to Jeffrey who stood with his players, a young granddaughter holding each hand, watching on respectfully.
Almost an hour later, the charismatic 59-year-old laid bare just how painful an experience it had been as he fought back tears while reflecting on a fourth cup final in as many years in which his team had lost when he felt they deserved to win.
“The game is cruel. It was cruel in terms of the injury time equaliser, but to go to that degree [the late extra-time winner], I don’t know,” he said.
“The only time I remember [a feeling in football that was as cruel] was an Irish Cup semi-final as Linfield manager against Glentoran at Windsor, when we got ourselves back in the game before Sean Armstrong went and scored the winner to make it 3-2.
“I actually felt physically sick on that particular day, but today was a different emotion because I could feel myself thinking ‘we’re seconds away here’. Ninety seconds.
“But congratulations to Stephen [Baxter] and Crusaders – very well done, they kept going and going.”
No surprise that Jeffrey and Ballymena will ‘come out swinging’
Ballymena captain Leroy Millar, the best player on the pitch by some distance thanks to an excellent display of powerful midfield running, had already come close to giving Ballymena the lead when that bizarre Weir own goal opened the scoring.
The Sky Blues seized control of the game from that moment on and should really have gone in two up at the break, with David Parkhouse missing a chance that he will no doubt replay in his mind for a while yet as he opted to try and go round Tuffey rather shoot early after a mix-up in the Crues defence left him through on goal.
Crusaders fans will no doubt have expected a big reaction in the second half but it was not until the closing stages, when Baxter – who described their first hour as “brutal” – played what was a significantly stronger hand from the bench, that they began to carry any sustained pressure. Pressure that ultimately led to Tuffey coming up for that corner and Robinson tapping home a memorable equaliser.
As crestfallen as Jeffrey was, he was still able to conjure up the bullishness and fighting spirit for which he is synonymous when asked what his response will be.
“I have always said that I would be at Ballymena for as long as the club would want me there,” he continued.
“My contract has been extended. You can either feel sorry for yourself or you can say ‘stuff this’ so unfortunately you may have to stick me for a few more press conferences yet because the hunger is probably greater now.
“You think ‘what have you got to do?’ but we will get there. Today was blooming horrible, that is the long and short of it, but the over-riding thing is that our players were brilliant. Our supporters were brilliant. I can’t ask for anything more than that. We will dust ourselves down, get back up again and we will come out swinging.”
Instinctive McMurray on-message with exquisite winner
As deep-rooted as the pain was for Jeffrey and the Sky Blues fans amongst the 7,500 crowd on a cloudy cup final day at Windsor Park, the joy for most of those in red and black was unbridled.
McMurray revealed that it was somewhat bitter-sweet for him given the respect he has for former club Ballymena. That will not have been in his head, though, when he made that celebratory dash that saw him inadvertently meet up with Leeman, who was no doubt preparing to go on air and give his opinions on who might win the penalty shoot-out that seemed to be looming.
His career may have taken on a stop-start dynamic in recent seasons, not helped by a serious knee injury a few seasons ago while at Larne, but the 27-year-old proved his instinctive finishing prowess is still very much to the fore with what was a stunning connection for his volleyed winner.
He revealed afterwards that he and Robinson, who were both in the Larne squad that was swept aside by Linfield in last season’s Irish Cup final, had discussed coming off the bench and scoring during the first half. And, interestingly, the ex-Warrenpoint Town and Cliftonville forward also explained how they were not the only ones making such a prediction.
“It was absolute carnage [the celebration for his goal]. I don’t even know what I was doing, I was just running, trying to turn my shirt around, and the next thing I realised I was with the lads commentating for BBC,” he recalled.
“My team-mates were telling me to take a touch but thankfully I hit that one first time.
“My brother Jason arrived back from Australia this week, it is the first time I have seen him in about three years and he had his little one with him. He sent me a screenshot of a message he sent to his wife at half-time saying I would come on score the winner. It was lovely to have him and the rest of the family here.”
