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County Antrim Shield final: Cliftonville v Carrick Rangers
Venue: Seaview, Belfast Date: Tuesday, 20 January Kick-off: 19:45 GMT
Coverage: Live coverage on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app
When asked what name has been on the County Antrim Shield the most, people’s immediate response would likely be Glentoran, who have lifted the trophy 27 times.
However, the answer may be more complicated than that as, after Ards’ victory in 1994, a fan carved his name into the back of the trophy.
Remaining on the shield for over 30 years, the engraving has only been removed in the last two seasons when Queen’s University added a bar to the back of the trophy to help winner’s lift it.
But how did someone’s nickname end up on one of Northern Ireland’s four senior trophies for so long?
‘We didn’t think much of it at that time’
Every fan has a different reaction when their club get their hands on a trophy that they have waited on for so long. Some are overcome with happiness, some may leap for joy and some shed a tear but not many turn to permanent markers.
The north Down side faced Crusaders in the 1994 showdown and sealed the trophy for the third time in their history when substitute David Stranny scored twice in the final 10 minutes at Seaview.
Ards hadn’t won a trophy in 20 years at that stage and lifelong fan Michael Kennedy, nicknamed Ned, was determined to make the moment last.
“The County Antrim Shield has always held a special place in Ards’ fans hearts and when we won it, that evening, it came back to the club when we were playing at Castlereagh Park,” Ards FC historian Adrian Monaghan told BBC Sport NI.
“We didn’t have a proper trophy cabinet and the one we did have would have never held the County Antrim Shield, so what happened was the trophy went out into the lounge and was propped up.
“The club was open to all hours and then Ned said that he was going to write something on the back of it, so he wrote his name and Ards FC in indelible marker. We did not think much about it at the time.”
Ards FCThe trophy kickstarted a successful spell for Roy Coyle’s side, who went on to win the League Cup the following season before competing in the Uefa Intertoto Cup shortly after.
The years around the millennium proved to be challenging for the side who lost their home ground, Castlereagh Park, in 2000 but the engraving gave the fans something to laugh about during the anniversary dinner 15 years after the win.
“When collecting the trophy in 2009 at Solitude, they asked, ‘do you know a fella called Ned?’ Then showed me the back of the trophy and his name was still there,” he continued.
“We had a good laugh that Ards would always have their name on the trophy and that is when we took the photo.
“Now, if Ned was still alive, he would find it hilarious that we are still talking about it.”
Ards’ only appearance in the showpiece since was in 2004, but they were beaten 2-0 by Linfield, so their name remained on the trophy four times, three times on the front and in pen on the back.
Now the name is removed, Ards could not only hold the title of the longest name on the trophy but also the only name to be removed.
