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Knockbreda set their sights on reliving Intermediate Cup glory days
Action from Knockbreda v Loughgall in the Fourth Round of the Intermediate Cup Close
Northern Ireland- 1st February 2014 Mandatory Credit - Picture - Matt Mackey/Presseye.com Knockbreda v Loughgall Intermediate cup. Knockbreda's Connor Corry in action with Loughgall's Jude Ballard.
Northern Ireland- 1st February 2014 Mandatory Credit - Picture - Matt Mackey/Presseye.com Knockbreda v Loughgall Intermediate cup. Knockbreda's Connor Corry in action with Loughgall's Joe McKee.
Northern Ireland- 1st February 2014 Mandatory Credit - Picture - Matt Mackey/Presseye.com Knockbreda v Loughgall Intermediate cup. Knockbreda Colum Curtis celebrates.
Northern Ireland- 1st February 2014 Mandatory Credit - Picture - Matt Mackey/Presseye.com Knockbreda v Loughgall Intermediate cup. Knockbreda Colum Curtis celebrates.
Northern Ireland- 1st February 2014 Mandatory Credit - Picture - Matt Mackey/Presseye.com Knockbreda v Loughgall Intermediate cup. Knockbreda's Colum Curtis in action with Loughgall's Connor Fegan.
Northern Ireland- 1st February 2014 Mandatory Credit - Picture - Matt Mackey/Presseye.com Knockbreda v Loughgall Intermediate cup. Knockbreda's Colum Curtis in action with Loughgall's Tuda Murphy.
Northern Ireland- 1st February 2014 Mandatory Credit - Picture - Matt Mackey/Presseye.com Knockbreda v Loughgall Intermediate cup. Knockbreda's Gareth Corry in action with Loughgall's Joe McKee.
Northern Ireland- 1st February 2014 Mandatory Credit - Picture - Matt Mackey/Presseye.com Knockbreda v Loughgall Intermediate cup. Knockbreda in action with Loughgall's Tuda Murphy.
Northern Ireland- 1st February 2014 Mandatory Credit - Picture - Matt Mackey/Presseye.com Knockbreda v Loughgall Intermediate cup. Knockbreda's Connor Corry in action with Loughgall's Connor Fegan.
Northern Ireland- 1st February 2014 Mandatory Credit - Picture - Matt Mackey/Presseye.com Knockbreda v Loughgall Intermediate cup. Knockbreda's Paul Young in action with Loughgall's Steven Herron.
Northern Ireland- 1st February 2014 Mandatory Credit - Picture - Matt Mackey/Presseye.com Knockbreda v Loughgall Intermediate cup. Knockbreda's Miguel Chines celebrates.
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Arguably Knockbreda's most famous day came in April 2009 when the Amateur League outfit beat Donegal Celtic in the final of the Intermediate Cup.
Skip forward five years, and much has changed at Breda Park, but the Belfast club are still keen to win the famous old trophy once again.
On Saturday they beat Loughgall 4-1 in the Fourth Round, with Paul Young, Miguel Chines, Colum Curtis and James Wright hitting the back of the net.
Manager Hugh Sinclair said: “It's a competition that means a lot to the club as winning it was our biggest achievement until we won Championship Two last season.
“It gave us a big lift before joining the League and as an experience it has served us well, but things have changed since then.
“Now we're an established Championship team and we are certainly aiming to get to the latter stages of this competition. Saturday's win has given us a good chance.”
Loughgall boss Brian Adair was without new signings Ryan Moffatt, James Costello and Wayne Drummond, while the game was played in difficult conditions.
Sinclair explained: “To be fair to Loughgall, they were missing a number of their best players. Some of their new signings were ineligible because they'd played 12 senior games, so they had to use a few squad players.
“The conditions were also very difficult for both teams. They pitch was heavy and it was difficult for either team to pass the ball.
“But I was delighted with our performance. We got three goals before half time and put the game beyond doubt. It was an impressive performance on a difficult day.”
Breda will travel to Mid-Ulster League champions Dollingstown in the Fifth Round on February 15, a tie Sinclair believes will be tricky a fixture.
“I've heard a lot of good things about Dollingstown. They're the top team in Mid-Ulster and they've been knocking on the door of the Championship for a number of years. They were unfortunate to loss out to Newington in the play-offs.
“It will be a difficult game for us, but it's a challenge we're looking forward too.”
In the league, Knockbreda are dark horses for the Belfast Telegraph Championship One title. Hugh Sinclair's men are seven points behind league leaders Bangor, with two games in hand.
“We're expecting a tough game against the Welders next week, but we're pleased with how things are going in the league.
“I've told the players that the run-in is a time when good footballers will shine, because we're approaching a time when the pitches and the weather are starting to improve.
“We're in the top bracket of clubs at this moment in time and we want to stay there. There are a lot of big games coming up, like Bangor against Institute, so teams outside the top three might be able to take advantage of that.”
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