Round 5 - Knockbreda v Crusaders
The Irish Cup adventure continued in the early weeks of 2025 with round five. Knockbreda was my team for this round, the PIL side that had been rewarded for their previous round efforts with a tie against Premier League side Crusaders.
This was the round where Premier League and Championship sides entered the fray. Some refer to this as the ‘first round proper, ’ but as I’ve said previously, this feels like disrespect to those who have fought from early August to reach this round.
However, this is January in Northern Ireland, and it didn’t take any form of psychic ability to know that this round of the Cup was always in a perilous position.
When the draw was initially made, Crusaders declared that the game would be held at their ground, Seaview, despite Knockbreda being the home team for the tie. Shortly before the tie was due to be played, Knockbreda advised that the game would indeed be played at Breda Park after receiving clearance to do so from the powers that be.
Sadly, the weather had other plans. The frozen tundra of Breda Park could not withstand the cold (I’ve mentioned in my previous post that even on the sunniest of days, it’s still a cold place for a game), and once again, the tie was on the move to Seaview while other ties fell to the conditions.
A 4G surface didn’t make this game any warmer of an experience, however. While Knockbreda initially held their own, once Crusaders applied the pressure, the tie was never in any real threat of upset. The tie ended Crusaders 3 - Kockbreda 0.
Round 5 (extra time) - Glenavon v Dundela
The unexpected consequence of this journey was that once the ‘bigger’ teams entered the hat, it would mean not being at my own team’s game! When the draw was made, I was hoping for a Dundela Knockbreda tie (ideally at Wilgar Park) to get me on the road with my own side.
To be clear, postponements are a pain for the teams involved and the fans. Rescheduling fixtures is disruptive to the week not only for players and officials in terms of training and logistics but also to those of us who go up and down the roads with the team. Selfishly though, this suited me perfectly, ticking off a ground I’d never visited before and seeing the Duns in cup action for this season was too good an opportunity to miss.
At one point, this may have been on many people’s docket as a potential upset. Glenavon hadn’t been in great form, but a recent change of management, with Paddy McLaughlin now at the helm, brought some renewed hope and confidence, and Glenavon played the ball around really well at times throughout this early iteration of rejuvenation. Dundela held their own for a good while, and despite some good looks and half-chances, the Premier League quality eventually paid dividends, and Glenavon advanced.
The game finished Glenavon 2 - Dundela 0
So now we had two timelines to contend with. Stick with Crusaders on the original path of the journey or carry on with Glenavon.
The sixth round draw saw Crusaders get a visit from the impressive Championship side Limavady United. Meanwhile, for Glenavon, a trip to the holders Cliftonville.
A poll on Instagram would decide my fate, and while skewed a little by some interaction with the Limavady faithful, we returned to the original path and a return to Seaview for Round 6.
Round 6 - Crusaders v Limavady United
I honestly thought this could be the one. This could be the upset on the journey. Limavady had dispatched Premier League Champions Larne in the last round, and from previous Championship fixtures with Dundela, I knew how good a side they were.
On taking my seat in Seaview’s north stand, I was slightly disheartened by the levels of support. Limavady had travelled in numbers and was rowdy. They knew a second upset could be on the cards. Crusaders fans, however, on both visits, were a fairly quiet bunch, and the ground wasn’t exactly filled with optimism or a large crowd.
A lack of cup interest?
Season tickets not being applicable?
Lower league opposition?
As kick-off approached, I wondered what the cause of the empty seats could be.
Limavady made a real good account of themselves. They picked their spots and frustrated Crusaders for large periods of the game. They dug deep, held their lines and made chances (at both ends)few and far between.
It was cold up in that large North Stand; the wind whipped around the corners of it and dropped the temperature and my enthusiasm for the game significantly. I found myself on my phone looking at games elsewhere. Cliftonville v. Glenavon appeared to be a better game from online reports, and even Dundela were embroiled in a chaotic league fixture across town that made me wish for Wilgar.
Extra time was on the cards.
I considered my options. If there was to be another half hour of this, I wasn’t sure I could stick it. Thankfully, there was a goal in injury time, and it was Crusaders fans celebrating while Limavady players fell to the ground in exhaustion.
While I headed hastily for the car to get heat to my feet as soon as possible, I contemplated my potential third game with Crusaders on this Irish Cup odyssey and felt a little crestfallen. Perhaps the cold got to me; perhaps back-to-back visits to a passingly interested Seaview had done the damage.
As I drove home, my feet slowly defrosting, I hoped for at least an away day somewhere different for the quarterfinal.
The draw was made.
I sighed.
A third visit to Seaview or at least so I thought.