KILLYLEAGH goalkeeper Trevor Carson missed out on a cup winners’ medal for the second time this year at the weekend.
The Northern Ireland international bemoaned Motherwell’s first-half showing at Hampden Park in Saturday’s Scottish Cup final and maintained his side offered Celtic too much respect from the off.
The Fir Park side lost 2-0 to Brendan Rodgers’ double treble winners — the same scoreline the Hoops won by in the League Cup final meeting between the two earlier in the season.
Carson praised his team-mates’ spirited display after the break, but said the damage had already been done as a lacklustre Motherwell side shipped two first half goals.
“It was just frustrating, we said before the game to have no regrets, but at half-time everybody knew we could have done more,” he said.
“I think we show Celtic too much respect, obviously they are a great side, but unless you get close to them and stick a foot in you’re not going to win anything.
“We regrouped at half-time, but by then the damage was done. It’s easy for me to say as a goalkeeper, they are great players. But in the second half we went on the front foot and they made mistakes.
“If we could do it all again we’d do from the first minute what we did from the 45th,” he added.
Carson has enjoyed an impressive season in goal for the Lanarkshire side, with his performances rewarded by an international debut.
Stephen Robinson’s side have picked up notable scalps en route to two domestic finals and in finishing seventh in the Premiership.
Carson believes that Motherwell must strive to achieve more next time around.
“It’s been tremendous, but we want more, we’ve got a taste for it. We have surpassed expectations, but we’re coming back next season hungry,” he insisted.
“We want more, we don’t just want to get to cup finals and be losers, we want to win cups. We’re not happy with seventh, we want to finish well higher up the league next year.”
Carson and Downpatrick’s Conor Hazard now head off to Central America with the Northern Ireland international squad to play World Cup sides Panama next Tuesday and Costa Rica on June 3.