Clearer Water Irish Cup final; Cliftonville v Dungannon Swifts
(Windsor Park, Saturday, 2.30pm, live on BBC 2)

RORY HALE feels it has taken him until the turn of the year to come into his best form after a less than ideal beginning to the 2024-2025 campaign. 

The Reds’ skipper was ruled out initially for 12-16 weeks after a challenge towards the end of the Charity Shield game at Inver Park at the beginning of July, but rushed back sooner and made his return from injury away to Ballymena United in the middle of September. 

Despite being able to feature for 90 minutes soon after his comeback, Hale doesn’t feel he was able to influence games as much in what he admits has been a difficult campaign. 

“It’s been difficult, and I probably didn’t get up and running until January time - it was just down to myself,” he acknowledged. 

“We were in that poor league form, I was coming back from injury, I’d missed the European games and coming off such a high of last year - it was probably my best ever season playing football - I kind of rushed back way too much. 

“I was meant to be out for 12-16 weeks and I came back after 10 weeks. It showed in the games I was playing in. I was playing 90 minutes but I couldn’t affect the game the way I had been affecting it - that was just down to myself. 

“I really kicked on over January time. I’m probably finding my fitness now and my best form coming into the most crucial part of the season.”

The 28-year-old has been at the club four-and-a-half years since making the move across North Belfast from Crusaders and on the cusp of a second successive Irish Cup final, he believes Solitude is one of the best places to be at the minute, especially for younger talent. 

“From the top to the bottom, it’s a great club to be at, at the minute,” he believes. 

“We’re getting new fans every week and you saw how quick the tickets sold out - I think it was seven minutes. 

“It’s a brilliant pathway at the minute for young players to look at. Shea Kearney probably didn’t kick a ball for the first team coming into the start of the last season and he has cemented his place into the first team and played over 50 games. 

“Ryan Corrigan, it doesn’t look like it, but since he has come into the fold he’s played over 40 first-team games, so it’s a real opportunity for these young players to come in. 

“Jim doesn’t care how old you are, you’ve see with young [Coran] Madden coming into the fold, he has been in with us from November. He’s a real, talent, takes the ball lovely, drives at people, he’s fearless and that’s what Jim loves and if you’ve got that, you have a chance of getting into the first team here.”

Hale and his younger brother Ronan played an integral part in the club ending their 45-year wait for Cup success last season and he is of the opinion that there is more pressure on the club’s shoulders this time around. 

“It’s great to get the monkey off the back,” he explained. 

“After that experience last May, it put us in good stead for the Cup final against Glentoran in the League Cup, and hopefully both experiences from those cup finals can push us on and go for three trophies in one year, which would be absolutely amazing.

“I think there is a lot more pressure riding on this one. Last year, we had an amazing League campaign, we went toe-to-toe with Larne and Linfield all the way up to the split, we had already qualified for Europe before we kicked a ball in the split. 

“We’re in a difficult situation at the minute where we really do need European football, and we don’t want to be going into the playoffs, which is a lottery. After playing 38 league games, you’re going into another two tough games in the playoffs if you need to go through. 

“There is a lot more pressure riding on this one, but like I’ve said over the last few weeks: this group really does step up when it matters, and hopefully the same again in this Cup final.”

Hale has experienced heartache at the hands of final opponents Dungannon and recalls the Swifts shattering their hopes of Cup and League success with two defeats in a matter of weeks just two seasons ago. 

“Dungannon has been one of them teams over the last few years - they can do a number on you,” Hale warns. 

“I think it was two years ago in the Irish Cup and the League. It was Dean Shiels taking that group, but it was similar players and a similar style of play. 

“They are a really strong team, they’ve got pace and good ball players in the middle of the park, and they’ve got good solid defenders. I really, really like their two full-backs as well. 

“All around the pitch they are a really good side. It will be a tough game, but it’s one we’re really looking forward to.”