Irish Cup: What we learned after local football's return

After a four-month absence, the Irish Cup returned with three superb and intriguing games.

From late drama and blood-and-thunder action, it was almost like it had never been away.

So here are five things that we learned from an action-packed week of Irish Cup action, plus the morning after the night before.

As anyone who has returned to five-a-side in recent weeks will no doubt agree with, playing football after four months off is difficult.

Now throw in the pressure of the Irish Cup and Windsor Park, one of the most draining pitches in Northern Ireland.

Considering for the majority of the enforced off season they didn't know if they would kick a ball in anger again this campaign, full credit has to go to the players for keeping in shape in the time off and putting on a show.

Both semi-finals and the final were full of energy and while the additional extra-time sucked the power from their legs, Coleraine, Cliftonville, Ballymena and Glentoran dug deep and kept ploughing on until the final whistle.

The games were feisty, full of action, had plenty of quality moments and there was late drama in all three matches. It is safe to say the Irish League is back with a bang.

The professionalism shown by all four clubs, especially by the final two, who had to play 240 minutes in the space of five days, deserve praise.

The supporters are the lifeblood of any Irish League club, they are at the heart of communities and football's absence was badly missed.

Without the spectators, the semi-finals were an odd experience. The fake crowd noise did a job for those watching on TV, but it didn't remotely come close to the real thing.

Then a bit of history as the Irish Cup final was the first game in the UK to allow spectators back in, albeit 500 of them, but boy, did they make some noise.

After months of artificial crowd noise and relative silence in the biggest leagues in the world, it was fans from Ballymena and east Belfast who brought 'proper football' back to our lives.

A special mention to 100-year-old Glentoran supporter and former player Bertie Wright, whose special story was covered earlier in the season.

For those 250 Glentoran fans, those final memories will last a lifetime and that is what football is all about.

This league campaign has been one to forget for Ballymena United but their Irish Cup run gives them hope for next season.

While the final ultimately ended in heartbreak, David Jeffrey's men gave it 100% right to the final whistle in both games and from that they can take great heart. The never-say-die attitude will certainly help them in the future.

The matches also highlight how crucial it is to keep star forwards Cathair Friel and Adam Lecky fit and firing, who both starring in the decider at Windsor Park and leaving the Glens defence with headaches.

It's easy to forget Jeffrey has guided the Sky Blues to two finals this campaign, so while there is overall disappointment there is also light at the end of the tunnel.

Did you think the drama was going to finish after the full-time whistle? Of course not, it is the Irish League after all.

The morning after the night before, Linfield got the ball rolling by announcing Coleraine stopper Chris Johns and forward Chirsty Manazinga, then Conor Pepper's arrival from Glentoran wasn't overly a surprise after being left out of Mick McDermott's squad.

The Glens responded with three signings of their own, which included Northern Ireland international Luke McCullough and Derry City star Jamie McDonagh, who add strength to the Glens' midfield.

Then the bombshell. Less than 24 hours after Glentoran's Irish Cup win, Navid Nasseri jumped ship to join Pepper at Windsor Park.

Given the rivalry between the two sides, which will only increase as the east Belfast men chase down the Blues, it's safe to say the move hasn't gone down too well with McDermott or the Glentoran faithful.

The first game at the Oval between the two sides next season should be nice and tasty.

We'll leave the final word for Marcus Kane.

The tragedy which hit the Kane family in December has been well documented and the passing of baby Harrie undoubtedly brought the Irish League together.

Kane said he would carry Harrie's memory into the Irish Cup final and the scenes at the full-time whistle, with the outpouring of emotion and the touching shots with his wife Aimee and daughter Mollie, were quite something.

The 28-year-old is a warrior on the pitch and would bleed green if you cut him open, and his charity fundraising efforts away from the pitch in memory of Harrie have been nothing short of incredible.

With the cup success, Kane's place in Glentoran's history books is secure and nobody deserves that moment and adulation more than the skipper.

Big things are mooted for the Oval outfit, so it may not be the last time Kane gets his hands on a piece of silverware, but for now, the famous old trophy will do.