Cup to no good

Jim Magilton admitted Cliftonville deserved last night’s defeat to Dungannon Swifts and lamented his side’s low-key departure from the BetMcLean Cup.

A Matthew Lusty strike with just under a quarter of an hour remaining earned the hosts victory at Stangmore Park, where a much-changed Reds side largely huffed and puffed without ever finding any real spark.

“We were second best,” said Magilton.

“There may be reasons for that but, looking at our starting line-up, there’s enough quality in there to win games but the one thing you have to be able to do is show that tenacity and show that courage and to present yourself. One thing that shouldn’t ever have to be asked of any player – and especially these lads at this Club – is to go out and really go and show a commitment.

“Dungannon deserve credit and we have to give them that for the way they played, especially in the first-half – I thought they were better than us and we couldn’t really get going. So we hand the opposition that credit; Rodney (McAree) and Dixie (Robinson), well done to them. But, as far as we’re concerned, I preach about performance levels and our performance levels, in the first-half especially, were far below what we expect.”

Magilton was particularly frustrated that, having exited the County Antrim Shield with a first round reversal at the hands of Carrick Rangers, Cliftonville have been unable to make significant inroads into the BetMcLean Cup – a competition with which the Club has a proud recent history.

“Our worst performances this year have been the two Cup games and I’ve no idea why,” he added.

“I don’t think we were great against Larne on Friday night and I expected a massive response. I rested one or two but the players we brought in were of real quality, but you have to earn the right to play – we didn’t and they did. We couldn’t get going in the first-half and, in the second-half, we were slightly better but on the night, you have to say Dungannon deserved the win.”