Clearer Water Irish Cup Final; Cliftonville v Linfield
(Windsor Park, Saturday, 2.30pm, live on BBC2)
 
WHEN Saturday’s Irish Cup final is studied, the number 45 becomes prominent. For that is the number of years Cliftonville are aiming to bridge since their eighth and last success in 1979, whilst victory for Linfield will see them claim the trophy for a 45th time.

When the final whistle blows at Windsor Park, that number will be central to the story for the victors, but which set of fans at the sold-out stadium will be celebrating?

Both teams are desperate to get their hands on the trophy and it’s all set up to be a memorable afternoon in the south of the city as the clubs meet in the final for the first time in 90 years.

The Irish Cup has eluded Cliftonville since Tony Bell scored the winner a 3-2 win over Portadown in that ‘79 final and although there have been three league titles since, disappointment has been the dominant emotion in the showpiece occasion of the local game.

Defeats to Glenavon in 1997, Crusaders in 2009, Glentoran in 2013 and Coleraine in 2018 have followed, while the 1999 final against Portadown wasn’t played as Cliftonville were expelled for bringing on Simon Gribben in their semi-final replay win over Linfield after the player had appeared for another club earlier in the competition.

It’s fair to say fans of the Solitude club are desperate to end their run of cup final disappointments and their 2-0 win over back-to-back Premiership champions Larne has fuelled fresh optimism amongst the support that it is finally their time to bridge the 45-year gap.

“It would be fantastic,” Cliftonville manager Jim Magilton said of the prospect of a win on Saturday.

"It’s the last game of the season, a huge game, a sell-out. There will be lots of noise around this and around the stadium, one of those fantastic days you rarely get and if you get it more than once, you are lucky. But it’s only a great day of you win.

“The Larne game (in the semi-final) was a huge statement for us and by the players because it’s the players who step over the white line.

“I have great belief they can do it, so it will be wonderful. They’ve got the grasp the nettle and make it their day.”

If they do manage to do it this time, they will have done it the hard way with that superb performance against Larne and now face the club that leads the Irish Cup roll of honour in Linfield with 44 wins to their eight.

But a cup final is a one-off game and the onus will be on blocking out the noise and finding a performance that will be required against a club that thrives on such occasions.
Victory alone would be huge, but also vital for their future as they look to push on in the league next season.

There has been a spring in the step in the build-up and carrying that forward will be aided immensely by getting their hands on the trophy.

“There’s a grand sense of occasion and recognition for what’s gone on, but this group of players have the chance to become history makers,” Magilton added.

“It will give us a sense of what happens after that as we’ve got to go into next season with a season of ‘well, we can compete and win’, and that’s important.

“Over 38 games, the best teams win the league, but this is a knockout competition and we can go and win it.

“We’ve shown we can and it would be a justification of the hard work the players have put in. It’s also evidence you can compete with the big boys in the league.”

Linfield are undoubtedly one of those big boys and over the course of the season, David Healy’s men have held the upper hand in league meetings, winning all three prior to last Saturday’s de facto dead rubber draw between the sides.

The Blues had ambitions to dethrone Larne in the Premiership this season, but it wasn’t to be as they came up just short and that disappointment is fuelling the drive of the Windsor Park club to finish the season on a high with a second trophy having already secured the League Cup.

Those previous wins over Cliftonville including a dominant 3-0 victory in February suggest they have The Reds’ number, but that is not the thinking going into Saturday.

“One of our best performances was at Solitude,” Healy agreed.

“But playing at Solitude and then in front of 16,000 on Saturday with the tension, nerves and excitement that comes with it will be completely different, so we take nothing from the previous games.

“We have proven we are capable of beating Cliftonville, but I saw Cliftonville first hand in the semi-final against Larne and as good as the performances we’ve put on this year.

“Like a derby game, you can go in with good form and find yourself on the end of a beating.

“Hopefully, our players will be tuned in during the week and we play the way I know we can do. If we do, form from previous games against Cliftonville won’t matter.”

Cup finals can be tense affairs and with so much riding on Saturday’s outcome, small moments will likely determine which will be toasting that number 45.