CLIFTONVILLE boss Jim Magilton is relishing the build-up to the Irish Cup decider on May 3, as attention switches back to league action. 

The Reds make the trip to The Loughshore Leisure Arena on Tuesday evening to take on Carrick Rangers (7.45pm kick-off), hoping to make it back-to-back league wins against the East Antrim outfit in their pursuit of a seventh-placed finish. 

Magilton thoroughly enjoyed the build-up to last year's Irish Cup final and is willing his players to embrace the run-in to this year's decider- as the opportunity doesn’t arise too often. 

“I loved it last year, absolutely loved it,” he confirmed. 

“If you look at the journey last year, it was four Premiership clubs and a Premiership club in waiting in Portadown. 

“It is really, really important and I reinforced it in the changing room. These are the magic moments because opportunities like this aren't afforded to many. 

“They have to enjoy it, and they have to embrace it. We will enjoy getting ready for the Cup final.” 

Although Magilton believes his side could have been more clinical in Friday evening’s semi-final win over Ards, he felt the players carried out their pre-match instructions perfectly. 

“I’m always thinking about moments,” he explained. 

“Everything that we talked about during the week: all the work we did and all the preparation we did, we did play it out perfectly. 

“The credit goes to the players, there is no hesitation in saying that. There are different things that we could have done slightly better, and probably one criticism is being more clinical in front of goal. 

“At 1-0, it is still pretty precarious, and to be fair to them [Ards], they came out and had a go. They had one or two opportunities and we managed to see it out, and then we had those moments of brilliance, which makes a difference.”

Jonny Addis and Shea Gordon were pinpointed for their composure and Magilton believes that there are three or four players within the team who are capable of controlling the game in critical moments. 

“We have great composure in critical moments,” Magilton believes. 

“Jonny Addis, I thought was magnificent and Shea Gordon, I thought was excellent. We have really good players who understand the moments in the game, and that is really important. 

“We’re watching it, but when you’re a player and in the emotion in the game, understanding and being able to control that (is vital). There are three or four players in our team that do, and that manages to calm everybody else down. 

“We could be more ruthless if I'm honest, but the moments mattered and we carried it out to the letter.”

Magilton was also pleased with the unselfish act of Joe Gormley in assisting 17-year-old Ryan Corrigan to wrap up the win and is under no illusion that it is a moment that Corrigan will cherish. 

“It really was an unselfish act,” he reflected. 

“It was Christmas morning for Ryan Corrigan to score a tap-in, in an Irish Cup semi-final, laid on by the great Joe Gormley. 

“That is what is written in the stars and he will remember it for the rest of his life thanks to Joe.”