The prospect of a place in the Match Intermediate Cup final has in-form Tommy Elder buzzing.
Having started the 2018/19 season playing in the Coleraine and District League, the 30-year-old is now eager to finish it by leading Portstewart to silverware.
Nine goals in his nine games in Seahawks colours underlines the class of a man who poses the biggest threat to Queen’s University defenders in Wednesday's’s semi-final.
And the Ballymoney native is keen to make up for lost time after a spell in the lower reaches with Dervock.
He’s well aware that an opportunity like tomorrow doesn’t knock that often.
So Elder, who was again among the goals against Banbridge Town in the league at the weekend, has called on his teammates to seize their moment.
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He told Match On Tuesday: “I’m 30 now and well aware that these situations don’t come round very often. We have the chance to get into the final of the Intermediate Cup which would be massive for this club.
“It’s a huge occasion at the National Stadium so they don’t come much bigger than that.
“An Intermediate Cup final puts you in the shop window and every- one would love the chance to play at Windsor Park.
“I had dropped down to play for Dervock for a year-and-a-half but I’d love to get back to the Irish League.
“My target when I came to Portstewart was eight goals, but I have nine in nine so I’m pleased with how it’s going.
“We have a quality side here, the likes of Andy Findlay, Richard Vauls, big Johnny Watt, lads who have played at a higher level and lads who could play higher.
“Me and Zach [Barr] came in in January and we’ve been pleased with how we’ve been doing. But that
counts for nothing if we don’t keep doing it so we know we all have to turn up on Wednesday night.”
In the opposing changing room at Dixon Park will be a side facing a lofty challenge of their own.
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Last May, Peter Thompson led Queen’s University to Intermediate Cup glory for the first time in their long history.
But achieving that wasn’t enough, he wants to do it all over again.
The winners of Wednesday evening’s game know they’ll be favourites in the final with either Crumlin Star or Banbridge Rangers their opponents.
But while nerves could play their part in Ballyclare, Elder admits
it’s a sense of excitement that’s most prevalent amongst the Portstewart squad ahead of what should be a cracking game of football.
“We’re really looking for- ward to it,” he insisted. “If we can replicate our performance against Newbuildings in the quarter- final then there’s no reason why we can’t win the game.
“We’re well aware that Queen’s are a quality side, though.
“They’ve beaten us twice this season and when we played them in the league recently they punished our mistakes.
“They’ve got good players all over the pitch, particularly in attacking positions, so we know their strengths.
“But we have quality players of our own and the results between us this season mean we owe them one.
“It would be fantastic for the club if we could get the better of them in such a big game.
“It’s a match between two quality sides with a place in the Intermediate Cup final at stake so they don’t come much bigger than that and we shouldn’t need any motivation at all to get up for this one.”
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