Curr and attention

Jim Magilton’s admiration for the job Niall Currie has done at Portadown means Cliftonville will travel to Shamrock Park fully expecting the most thorough of examinations in tomorrow’s Sports Direct Premiership encounter.

Having been kept on the sidelines by Storm Darragh last weekend, both sides return to League duty with just three points separating them in an increasingly unpredictable League table – but one thing Magilton is certain of is that the Reds will be pushed all the way by their hosts.

“Niall has done a great job with Portadown,” he said.

“It was a difficult place to go in the Irish Cup last year and we had to work extremely hard to get a result, as we did in the first game of this season at Solitude.

“It’s not easy coming from the Championship because the gulf is large. Given Niall’s experience and knowledge of the League, you always felt that Portadown were going to be in safe hands. His recruitment has been very good and the results have followed.

“Portadown have lots of strengths but we’ll go there with great confidence in our own ability. It’s a very busy period of the year for everybody and our focus and attention is trying to get three points.”

Portadown v Cliftonville
Saturday, December 14 (3pm)
Adults: £15
Concessions: £10
Primary School kids: £1
Tickets: General Sale