Leinster Senior League sides, Crumlin United and Bluebell United will go head to head for the most coveted trophy for Intermediate clubs in Ireland, the FAI Umbro Intermediate Cup on Sunday May 10th at the Tallaght Stadium. With both clubs flying high in the Leinster Senior League, the stage is set for a dramatic conclusion to the competition between two of Ireland’s most prolific sides at Intermediate level.

The competition which was last won by a Dublin side in 2005, has seen Munster league teams dominate the competition recently with four Cork teams winning the competition in the last five years. The last success for a Leinster team in the cup was for Wayside Celtic when they defeated Cork’s Rockmount FC.

Speaking ahead of the FAI Umbro Intermediate Cup final, Crumlin United manager, Martin Loughran who has guided his side to the first FAI Umbro Intermediate Cup final in the club’s history, said, “It is a fantastic achievement for this club to reach the final, the players have worked incredibly hard all season and this final appearance is a testament to their hard work. Over the past number of years, the players have turned this team into one of the best sides in the Leinster Senior League winning three major trophies in the past two years.

"Historically, the club have a fantastic record at nurturing talent at schoolboy level which makes this final appearance in a competition which is second only to the FAI Senior Cup in importance in Ireland all the more significant,” said the Crumlin boss.

“Everybody involved with the club are looking forward to the final at the Tallaght Stadium, it’s a magnificent venue for the final and with Crumlin’s close connection with the Tallaght area, I think we will have a large number of supporters at the final. Shamrock Rovers have consistently sold out their matches at the impressive venue and I think that many football supporters in the area who have yet to visit the stadium will come along on the day,” he added.

Since the competitions inception in 1926, Bluebell United have won the competition five times and they ended Munster’s dominance in this year’s competition by defeating Cork’s Rockmount FC 1-0 in the semi-final but assistant manager, Peter Flood has told his players that history will count for nothing in their search for their 6th final victory in their history.

He said: “Crumlin United are a quality side and we are expecting an incredibly tough game in the final. Bluebell obviously have an illustrious history in this competition but the players know that history will go straight out the window as we prepare to face Crumlin for the fourth time this season. We have had a difficult route to today’s final, most notably the semi-final victory over Rockmount which we won by a single goal with just ten men.”

Flood added: “At the moment, both sides are in flying form in the Leinster Senior League and Crumlin will have a huge bearing on the outcome of the league. Cup finals are always a tight occasion and I expect that this final will be no different.”

FAI Umbro Intermediate Cup Final Details
Crumlin United FC v Bluebell United FC
Date: Sunday 10th May 2009
Venue: Tallaght Stadium
Kick Off: 3.00p.m.

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