“ Defended Of The Cup”

FORMER Linfield star Ian Young did his best to prevent Glentoran players getting their hands on the Irish Cup ahead of the big cup final last weekend. Glens stars Phillip Simpson and Gary Browne tried to snatch the famous trophy as Young kept guard over it in the most unlikely of hideaways – a kickboxing gym.
Young trains The Oval pair at the Prokick Gym each week but noted their desire to leave with the cup before Saturday’s big Windsor Park showdown with the Blues winning 2 goals to 1.
“The boys weren’t concentrating on their training, they were eyeing up the cup,” said Young.
“I reckon they were about to lift it and sneak it back into The Oval trophy cabinet before the final. But I had to do my bit being a Blueman and defended the cup as best I could and the boys left empty-handed.”
Ironically, Young got his hands on the trophy for the first time last week.
He was part of the Linfield team controversially beaten by Cliftonville in the 1999 semi-final, the year the cup final was abandoned.
Cliftonville won the semi-final but were later found to have fielded an eligible player, Simon Gribben, and the cup was awarded to Portadown.
“I still get annoyed about never winning an Irish Cup medal,” said Young, a two-time Premier League winner with the Blues.
“It was the closest I came to playing in a cup final and I’m sure missing out that year hurt Linfield players as much as it did Cliftonville players.
“I always believed that the 1999 cup final should have been played in the best interests of the game. Cliftonville beat us in the semi-final but broke the rules and I think a lot of people would agree that maybe that game should have been replayed or Linfield given a place in the final.”