The Mulhern Cup final is set to pitch Malone against Browne for the second time in 27 years.

Back in 1995 it was Keith against Malcolm as Enniskillen Rangers defeated Fivemiletown United, and this season it is the turn of the next generation as their two sons renew the old rivalry, with Kesh’s Kyle Malone facing up to Enniskillen Rangers’ Jake Browne.

Although Keith Malone is now a member of the Kesh coaching team, back in 1995 he was a Mulhern Cup final veteran, having turned out for Fivemiletown United in 1991 before making a trio of appearances for Rangers culminating in the 4-1 victory over his former club.

Keith recalls the build-up to the season finale, which was just as high-profile as it is today.

“It was great at the time,” he recalled. “We met before the match in the Fort Lodge Hotel for tea, and everyone was in trousers, shirt and tie, which was as professional as it got back then.

“It was a huge occasion, especially for me as I was from the Fivemiletown area and I had played for them a few seasons before.

“A lot of my mates were playing for Fivemiletown, including Malcolm, but it was about the result. It was a good game of football on the day, and even way back then Fivemiletown had a great crowd up at the game at Ferney Park.

“We were always comfortable that day. I was playing on the right side of midfield, and Roger Howe scored a hattrick, if my memory is correct.

“It was the only time I scored in a final, but the referee blew up for offside. I always remember that. I scored with a header but it didn’t count!”

On Friday it is the turn of his son Kyle, who has been a key member of the Kesh squad this season. He will take on his father’s old team, but revealed that his father has not spent long reminiscing.

“He hasn’t really said much, just the odd word here and there,” said Kyle. “He played a different position, so I don’t think he would have much expertise about left back!

“I am looking forward to it. It will be the first final I have been in since coming to Kesh, so I am looking forward to it.

“We have had good results against Rangers the last couple of times we have played them, so hopefully we can keep that going and get over the line.

“It’s about the whole team starting well and working hard and putting in the effort, and whoever plays better will take it.”

The 1995 final was the second Mulhern Cup final for Malcolm Browne, but he was never able to claim a winner’s medal.

“We had been beaten in the final a few years before and we were aiming to put things right, but it didn’t work out that way,” he said.

“Fivemiletown had a good team, and we had a few squaddies with us. We had Simon Yeo, and he went on to play for Lincoln. We had Lee Bradbury, who went on to Man City and also Tosh Williams. They were soldiers based in Omagh, and we had them for two or three years, including that year.”

Despite the quality of the squad, Rangers got the better of Fivemiletown and Malcolm in the 1995 final, but this time around he is hoping for a Rangers victory as his son takes to the pitch.

“I would say to him just to leave it all out there,” Malcolm advised. “There is no point coming off and saying you should have done this or that. That happens a lot of times in big games like that, and you think you didn’t do yourself justice or the team didn’t do themselves justice.

“I would say to him that it might be the only chance you ever get, so you have to go for it on the day.”

Jake has had an impressive season for Rangers and is among the nominees for the Young Player of the Year, and he is keen to top off the campaign with a trophy.

“I have been looking forward to it since the semi, and I just want to get on with it now,” he said.

“The league was out of our hands early in the season because we didn’t start well, and we had a change of Manager, so we set out with the Mulhern Cup as one of our targets, and we are in the final now. I can’t wait to get it started.”